Trust and Playing With Fire (Pandora's Box)
by Loyal Inuki
Summary: Rei is in touch with her emotions and spiritual self, but not with her physical self. Minako is more than ok with her physical self, but not with her emotional self. Can they help each other through love? ReiMina, Shoujo-ai/Yuri, AU, OOC, Language, Some Lemon. (This story was removed from my old account and is being re-posted / continued using this new account.)
1. Act I: Chapter 1

I had some trouble with my previous account and ended up having to abandon it and create this new one in order to continue this story. Thus, this story was removed from that defunct account and is being re-posted / continued using this account. I apologize to those who have been following thusfar for the abrupt change!

All the A/Ns and content of this story from Chapter 1 to where we left off at the end of Chapter 30 is as how it first appeared when it was posted through the old account. Please bear with me as I meticulously go through and re-upload them all again before posting Ch 31 and any new chapters -_-;;

(07/2015)

* * *

 **Author Note:** This is my first fanfiction. What started off as a small idea became a beast of a project. I hope you like it.

 **Incendia** = It's a conjugation of a few different verbs in French, Italian, and Spanish or the plural of _incendium_ in Latin, but it basically has to do with fire or to burn or ignite.

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

The condo complex 'Incendia' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

The soft sounds of a bustling city served as soothing background music in the small studio apartment in downtown Tokyo. That is, until the digital notes of a cellphone ringtone broke the monotony.

 ** _Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!... Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!..._**

"Mmmmmhhh!," Aino Minako groaned loudly as she rolled over and began pawing at her nightstand, absently trying to find the source of the annoying sound that had woken her from her peaceful slumber. When her hand found the loud, vibrating piece of technology, she flipped it open and brought it up to her ear.

"Mmmm-ello?," Minako moaned into the phone.

"Hey, Mina-chan!," A cheerful, bubbly voice responded, "Wait…were you still sleeping!?"

"Not anymore, Usa-neechan, thanks to you," Minako groaned in response to her older twin sister's question.

"Really, Mina-chan!? It's already 12:30pm!," Usagi teased as she giggled at her younger twin sister.

"Mou, Usa-neechan!," Minako whined back as she began to fully wake up. She couldn't help but smile though. Her sister has always teased her since they were born and hasn't let up in all their 21 years together. But, by the same token, Minako never knew anyone who could rival her sister in kindness or unconditional love and knew she didn't mean any malice by it, "I thought I told you my work schedule changed so Fridays I'm on the afternoon shift. I don't have to go in until 2:00pm. Plus, I was up late last night making sure I had everything ready for tomorrow, _like you asked me to_!"

"Nyaahaha…," Usagi giggled nervously on the other line, "Well, that was actually why I was calling. Mamo-chan and I wanted to know if you'd like us to pick you up so we can carpool together?"

"Are you sure?," Minako asked with uncertainty, " I mean…I'm already sharing the hotel room with you two. I don't want to _also_ cramp your alone time on the way there and back."

"Of course! I wouldn't be offering if it wasn't ok!," Usagi said cheerfully, "I even picked up both of our outfits from the tailors this morning so you don't even have to go out of your way to do that. C'mon, it'll be fun! We'll pick you up around 1:00pm?"

Minako sighed. Once Usagi got an idea in her head, it was hard to convince her otherwise. Especially if the idea had anything to do with helping Minako,

"Ok, ok," Minako conceded, "But at least let me pay for gas?"

"Sounds good!," Usagi replied. Minako could almost hear her sister jumping up and down for joy.

"Thanks, Usa-neechan," Minako replied sincerely. A mischievous grin spread across her lips, "Wait, are you _sure_ this is a good idea? I don't want to be stranded at the hotel while you and Mamoru-kun run off and never come back for me!"

"H-Hey! That only happened once, ok! And we _did_ come back for you!," Usagi whined as she blushed and recalled the college graduation party their friend, Kaioh Michiru, graciously hosted for them at her mansion.

Towards the middle of the party, Usagi and her long-time boyfriend, Chiba Mamoru, snuck away to spend some 'alone time' together at his condo. It wasn't until Usagi's cellphone interrupted their make-out session on his couch that they remembered they had gone to the party _with Minako_ and had accidentally ditched her! Minako sure had some choice words for her older sister and her boyfriend when they drove up sheepishly to where she stood on the curb in front of the extravagant house, "Mou, Mina-chan, you're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope! Never!," Minako teased as she giggled, "But I _am_ glad that you reminded me to check everything yesterday," she said, kindly changed the subject for her sister's sake, "I tried some of it on and I think it's going to look great! But I realized I'm missing a few key things so I'll pick up the last of it today when I'm at work."

"Great!...Umm…," Usagi hesitated, "D-Do you need any…help with that? I know you have your employee discount, but it _is_ a lot of stuff you're buying. I hope you know you can always ask me. You _are_ my baby sister after all."

"By, like, one minute!," Minako said in an exasperated tone. Usagi giggled on the other line.

 _Mataku! Sometimes, Usa-nechan can be such a mom!_ , Minako huffed to herself. The thought made Minako pause and she sighed, _But that's because she pretty much_ _was_ _one to me_.

"No, I've got it covered. I'm getting my paycheck tonight so that'll be enough," Minako responded sincerely, "Thanks, though. I appreciate it."

"Ok, well, like I said, all you have to do is ask," Usagi said warmly, "I have to go, my break's over. Call me when you get home from work tonight so I know you made it back safe, ok?"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Minako replied obediently, "Love you, Usa-neechan, 'bye!"

"Love you too, Mina-chan! See you tomorrow!," She heard Usagi hang up and lifted the phone away from her face to look at the small screen, 12:45pm. She closed her phone, placed it back on her nightstand, and lazily stretched her arms, _Well, I should probably get up and get ready for work._

She kicked off the covers, hopped out of bed, and headed towards the bathroom.

* * *

 ** _Shooooo…Thuddddd!_**

The end of an arrow quivered as its head hit its target…dead center. The crowd roared with applause as a tall, stunningly beautiful, raven-haired woman bowed towards the judges and walked back towards her seat. Her hair was in a high ponytail that cascaded over a flame-red visor pulled low over her face. Her white polo shirt and white pants accented her flawless, alabaster skin. As she walked to her seat, she began disassembling her bow and placed it carefully in its custom case. She then took off her flame-red chest-guard and matching leather bracer, hip quiver, and three-finger shooting glove.

"And there you have it folks! Hino Rei, the Flame Sniper, will be going home with her first national championships since going pro. To date, the 22 year old heir to and face of the Hino Sporting Enterprise empire is the youngest, undefeated, reigning individual national champion. This is also her fifth consecutive national championship win since starting her collegiate career at the age of 18 and her twelfth competition win overall since she started the sport as a junior at the age of 13, including her Olympic gold medal from a couple years ago," The announcer reported over the P.A. system, "She truly _is_ the pride of Japan in women's archery!"

Rei was busy carefully packing up her belongings and shaking hands with her opponents as a swarm of reporters began surrounding her for pictures and interviews. She removed her visor to reveal rare, amethyst eyes hidden underneath. They were intense and showed an air of authority that no one would dare challenge. Pulling her hair tie out to allow her dark mane to cascade down her shoulders and back freely, she flicked her hair behind her shoulder with her hand and flashed her signature smirk for the cameras.

She briefly answered a few questions before a tall, handsome, burly man, dressed in a sharp black suit, intervened and escorted her off the field with her security detail towards a waiting black limousine. The burly man, obviously the head of the security detail, opened the door for Rei and shut it securely once she had gotten inside and went around to the driver seat,

"You did great as usual, Hino-san," An attractive man sitting on a reverse bench seat across from her said evenly as he nodded towards the beautiful archer. He was of medium build with long, red hair that went past his shoulders. His haunting, pale-green eyes were trained on the beautiful archer, almost analytically.

Rei nodded curtly to her coach and manager, Watanabe Hitoshi. She heard the driver door close and she leaned slightly to the side to look around Hitoshi to the driver,

"Nobuo-san," she called in her usual, smooth voice to her loyal chauffeur and head bodyguard, "My place, please."

Kobayashi Nobuo nodded to her through the rear view mirror and pulled the limo out towards the street as the remaining security detail kept the press and fans back from the vehicle, allowing it to leave without any obstructions.

* * *

Rei turned her head to absently stare out the window, watching the cityscape pass by as they drove towards her condo.

"Just be mindful of your release," Hitoshi continued in his usual authoritative voice, which always irritated Rei, "You're always so quick to release. Take time to breathe and be in the moment rather than rushing to let your arrows fly."

"Yes, Watanabe-san, I'll continue to work on that," Rei responded flatly to Hitoshi. Silence filled the cabin briefly until Hitoshi pulled out his cellphone and began typing a few keys.

"I'm letting your father know about your win today. I'm sure he'll be very pleased to hear of it," Hitoshi said.

Rei snapped her head towards Hitoshi, "You know better than to say unnecessary things like that to me, Watanabe-san," she hissed as she glared at him, "I'm _sure_ Papa would be happy to add another feather to his cap and push his champion 'trophy daughter' to promote the company image. He couldn't care _less_ about _anything_ beyond his _fucking_ , precious company."

She turned to continue watching the cityscape, "Especially me," she whispered coldly as she narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, Hino-san. My apologies," Hitoshi nodded. Having coached and managed Rei throughout college, he was not unfamiliar with her quick temper, especially when it came to the subject of her father.

Rei took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Having been coached and managed by Hitoshi throughout college, Rei knew he was the best in the business. Professionally, she respected his coaching and expertise. However, she was not unfamiliar with his deep loyalties to his employer and the one responsible for hiring him: her horrid father, Hino Takashi. To some degree, she highly suspected that Hitoshi was hired to also spy on her for her father. This suspicion made the relationship between her and her coach hostile on her end and strained on his.

As Rei stared out the window, a vivid and painful memory played before her mind's eye.

* * *

 ** _Beep...Beep…Beep…_**

 _The steady sound of the ECG machine filled the silence in the white hospital room. A four-year-old Rei was sitting at a table, drawing pictures using crayons. She wore a red skirt and an adorable, short-sleeved white blouse with a small, purple bow in the center of her collar. Picking up her finished drawing in both hands, she smiled and jumped out of her seat. She gently climbed up onto a hospital bed and sat cross-legged next to a woman who was lying in the bed._

 _"Look, Mama, look what I drew!," Rei proudly held up her picture to the sleeping woman. The picture had two stick-figures on the left-side of the page, one taller than the other, both smiling widely. The taller one had long, blue strokes coming from the head while the shorter one had long, black strokes coming from the head, depicting hair. The taller woman had yellow, squiggly crayon lines around her body. In the center of the page was a slightly hunched stick-figure with no hair and what looked to be wrinkles on a smiling face. This figure also had a squiggly crayon line around it, only in light green. In the top-right of the page was a rudimentary airplane._

 ** _Beep…Beep…Beep…_**

 _"See? It's Mama and me and Grandpa and we're together waiting for Papa to come back from one of his business trips. I made it just for you!," Rei explained. She took the picture and carefully slid it underneath her mother's hand, "Grandpa said that you can still hear me even while you're sleeping. I hope so."_

 ** _Beep…Beep…Beep…_**

 _She curled up next to her mother and rested her head on the woman's stomach, "Papa promised the hospital would make you better and that he'd be back soon. He said when he comes back, he's going to take a vacation and we're going to play in the park or go to the beach together with Grandpa," Rei paused and looked up at her mother's peaceful, sleeping face. She remembered when her mother was well and a radiant golden-orange hue would shine brightly around her figure. It was always so warm and inviting. Now, all Rei could make out was a soft, almost transparent, golden hue that surrounded her mother's figure, "I hope you wake up soon, I miss you."_

 _She snuggled closer to her mother as if trying to feel the warmth from the soft hue. Without knowing, she closed her eyes and fell asleep._

* * *

 ** _Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!_**

 _Rei was abruptly woken up by a high-pitched, monotonous sound. Before she realized it, she was being scooped off the bed by a nurse and carried outside the hospital room, which was quickly becoming crowded with three other nurses and two doctors. The last thing her amethyst eyes saw before the door closed was her mother's body, void of any hue, convulsing when the doctors used what looked like two irons to push on her chest._

 _"Mama…MAMA!," Rei screamed._

 _The next few moments were a blur to the small girl. She remembered crying and screaming a lot for her mother. Her grandpa came soon after and was soothing her as he spoke to one of the doctors. Nurses rushed frantically in and out of the room._

 _After what was probably twenty minutes, but what seemed like forever for the little girl, the commotion stopped. The nurses and doctors filed out of her mother's room solemnly. Rei sat in one of the waiting room chairs as her grandpa went to speak to one of the doctors, who only shook his head and bowed low. She watched as her grandpa's face fell and he nodded slowly. He followed the doctor to a nurse's station and was given a desk phone to use. Rei watched as he spoke over the phone. The light green hue she associated with her grandpa was wavering slightly, as if shivering. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but as he spoke on the phone, she watched as the hue began flaring. Before her eyes, the hue began to flicker violently over his body. Rei watched in fear, unsure of what she was seeing. She felt a pain in her heart as she watched and wasn't sure why. Her grandpa slammed the phone down and took a few deep breaths, which made the hue return to its steady light green glow. When he turned around and his eyes met Rei's, his lower lip began to quiver._

 _Crossing the waiting room to where the little girl sat, he sat next to her and gently cradled Rei in his arms. Rei's eyes widened at the contact, her small figure was beginning to fill with a mix of painful emotions that she couldn't name. To some extent, she understood that they weren't her own and that they belonged to her grandpa as they were tinted with his same light green hue._

 _"Grandpa…wh-what happened? Is Mama ok?," Rei asked softly. She immediately felt a light green emotion strike her heart. It felt as if her small body would implode from the pain, but she tolerated it, waiting for her grandpa's reply._

 _"Mama's gone, Reiko," Her grandpa replied, using the pet-name he had for her._

 _"Gone?," Rei repeated as a question. Her mind went blank with shock. A shiver came over her and she suddenly felt cold and so very…alone. The only thing keeping her centered in the present moment were her senses clinging to the light green emotions that were being emitted by the elderly man, desperate for stability._

 _"Yes, Reiko. She's at peace now." Her grandpa replied as he held her tighter._

 _"But…," Rei's mouth began vocalizing on its own, "Papa said she would get better. He promised, he-," Rei couldn't finish. She felt the light green emotions tint with…Anger? They began to ignite and flare like a flame within her, making her jaw clench reflexively._

 _"Reiko…," Her grandpa began, "You're…you're going to be staying with me for a while."_

 _"I…I don't understand, Grandpa. Why? How about Papa? Is he coming too?," Rei didn't know what to make of all this information, along with the unnamed emotions that were being siphoned into her small frame._

 _"No," His voice became stern. Rei's eyes widened as the light green emotions began to invade her senses. She began to hear two familiar voices._

* * *

 _"She's…She's gone," Rei made out the familiar voice of her grandpa. He was speaking to someone, "You have to come home. Arrangements need to be made and Reiko needs her father now."_

 _"…Gone?...No...That's impossible! They said her condition was stable when I called earlier today!," The sound of her father's voice was distant and slightly muffled as if he were speaking over the…_

 _It finally dawned on Rei: She was reliving the conversation her grandpa just had over the phone._

 _"She…She took a turn for the worst fairly quickly. They did all they could," Rei's grandpa replied, his voice wavered and cracked as he spoke, "She's gone, Takashi, and you need to come home…for Reiko."_

 _There was a long pause on the other line._

 _"Takashi?," Rei's grandpa whispered, interrupting the long silence._

 _"…No," Takeshi said coldly. "No, I...I can't…I can't go back. Not now, I…I have a lot of things to take care of here...for the company. In fact, I…I have a meeting to go to right now. I'm…I'm going to be fairly busy so you might not be able to contact me for a while. I'll continue to send money for Rei's schooling and necessities, so-"_

 _"Takashi!," Rei's grandpa nearly yelled, "What are you saying!? I know you're hurting, we all are! But you can't just run away like this! What about Reiko!?"_

 _"…Take care of her for me…please...," Takashi replied softly, "Goodbye."_

* * *

 _"Your father," Rei was snapped back to the hospital waiting room by her grandpa's words, "He…He won't be coming back for a while."_

 _"…Yurusenai," Rei's grandpa, used to hearing his granddaughter's smooth voice, was shocked to find a cold edge to it as she spoke, "He…He lied."_

 _Rei's grandpa pulled away from Rei, his brow furrowed with worry. He was shocked to find his precious granddaughter radiating with a violently red hue, like flames licking the sides of her small frame. Her amethyst eyes had darkened to a deadly indigo._

 _"Reiko…," Rei's grandpa whispered._

 _"Work is more important to him than Mama…than me…he…he said so…yurusenai...," Rei's small hands were clenched in her lap and shaking with rage._

 _Rei's grandpa's eyes widened, '_ He…said so?', _His face became serious,_

 _"Reiko…," Rei's grandpa began again. He leaned his head down to meet her distant gaze, trying to draw her attention to him. His voice was level and slow, "I need to ask you something. When you look at me…do you see...anything? Any colors or-"_

 _"Of course, Grandpa! I'm not stupid!," Rei interrupted angrily, her indigo eyes boring into his dark orbs, "I can see your light green color as clearly as anyone else can!"_

 _Rei's grandpa knew that Rei always had quite the temper, but he ignored her insolence and pressed on._

 _"Reiko, when I was holding you," he continued in his level, slow tone, "Did you feel…or hear...anything?"_

 _Tears of frustration began to fall from Rei's eyes, "Yes, Grandpa! I felt your light green colors in my heart! And they hurt! They hurt so much! It felt like my heart was going to stop from the pain! I heard the whole conversation you had with Papa! About him having meetings and not being able to come home! Why are you asking me these questions!?"_

 _Nothing was making sense. All Rei wanted was her mother to get better. No more hospitals, no more machines. All she wanted was her father to come home and for her family to be together again. She knew now that her wish wasn't going to be granted and, what made it worse, was her grandpa bombarding her with irrelevant questions!_

 _Rei's grandpa's face softened. He leaned in again and pulled Rei into a comforting hug. Rei's eyes widened as soft, light green emotions began filling her again. This time they were…warm…loving. They almost felt like her mother's golden-orange hue. She instantly felt herself calm down, her small, balled hands relaxed._

 _Rei's grandpa smiled when he felt the tension leave his granddaughter's form. He could see her aura return to the calm, red glow that always surrounded her. When he pulled away to look at her, her eyes had returned to their amethyst color, though he could see a darkness behind them now, a pain that was still lingering._

 _"As a family, blood has bound us. But fate has brought us together in this manner, Reiko," Her grandpa said softly as he smiled, "You have a gift, one that has been passed down in our family for generations. Only those of pure hearts inherit it, but those of strong wills are able to use and control it."_

 _"'Gift'?," Rei looked at her grandpa with questioning eyes._

 _"Yes, Reiko. Your ability to see people's colors, their aura. That's part of the gift our family has. Your mother had some of the ability too but was only able to control and use it to a point. But…to be at your age and have the ability to sense emotions and even past events through contact…you are very special," Her grandpa said with pride in his voice. He stood up and held out his hand out towards her, "Come, my dear Reiko. I'm going to teach you…train you…to understand and hone your abilities."_

 _"Grandpa…," Rei whispered, as she reached out for her grandpa's hand._

* * *

"Hino-san?...Hino-san, we're here," Rei blinked a few times at the sound of her name being called by Hitoshi.

Nobuo had pulled the limo into the parking lot of a prestigious condo complex, The Incendia. He rounded the extravagant fountain and pulled up to the curb of the building. Rei looked at the building with disgust. Her loathsome father had chosen her condo for her when she moved to the city and, in the process, decided to buy the whole complex. He said it was because he thought it would be a good investment, but she knew that it was just another way for him to control and keep tabs on her, a fact that Rei cursed every time she saw the building.

Rei waited as Nobuo came around and opened the door for her. She gracefully stepped out of the limo onto the curb and smiled at him as he shut the door behind her. He ran to the trunk to retrieve her bags.

"Hino-san?," Hitoshi called from the limo as he rolled down the window. Rei's face hardened as she leaned over in reply to look at Hitoshi, "Just to confirm, we're not scheduled to have training tomorrow, correct?"

"Correct. I'll be out of town tomorrow and my contractual break begins the day after that so we won't be meeting for training again until the end of my break," Rei replied evenly.

"Yes, your father told me all about the plans he has for you once your break is over," Hitoshi replied with a nod, "He's really looking forward to you starting formally at the company and taking over the business. He was even mentioning possibly bringing you in earlier to do some-"

"Fuck what _he_ thinks!," Rei snapped, her indigo eyes igniting with terrifying intensity, "This break is for _my_ sake, not _his_! I am _more_ than aware of my contractual liability and I _will_ _not_ be any more a part of that _fucking_ company than I am contractually obligated to be! Next time you see _my_ _dear Papa_ , you can remind him we have a _fucking_ agreement! I know the man doesn't _fucking_ understand the definition of 'integrity' or 'responsibility', but _I_ do and I _always_ see my responsibilities through, no matter how much I may despise them! For such a successful businessman, he should _at least_ have the same _fucking_ decency to hold up _his_ end of the deal!"

 _That's twice today,_ Hitoshi, chided himself. He nodded, "Well then, Hino-sama, I'll see you after your break," he said evenly as he rolled the window up.

Rei straightened, her hands balled into fists by her sides. She was still fuming as Nobuo stepped in front of her, setting her duffle bag on the ground.

"Good job, Rei-sama," Nobuo whispered as he handed her the rectangular, hard-shell case that housed her custom bow and arrows. His soothing voice broke her out of her fury and her eyes slowly returned to their lavender color. When she finally focused on him and looked up, she saw his eyes and white aura beaming with pride. She allowed her hands to relax.

"On what? The competition or telling Watanabe-san off twice within 30 minutes?," Rei replied with a smirk as she took the case.

"On your...superb performance on _and_ off the field today," Nobuo replied with a sly grin. Rei nodded knowingly. She picked up her duffle bag, slung the shoulder strap over her head, and turned to go into the building,

"Rei-sama," Nobuo said, making her stop and turn back around, "I know you'll be safe once you're there, but I can at least drive you there and back if you need."

Rei couldn't help but smile as she thought about her upcoming trip, knowing she would see her two best friends tomorrow, whom she considered part of her _true_ family.

"Thanks, Nobuo-san, but that won't be necessary," Rei said with a reassuring nod. She could see the concern in his white aura, "The weather report says it'll be sunny so it'll be a nice drive. You know I don't usually like being chauffeured around in my free time anyways. Even after all these years, I'm still not used to it. Besides it's an easy drive there and back, nothing's going to happen. And, like you said, once I'm there I'll be fine with their security. I want you and your team to enjoy your time off until I come back on Sunday."

"Yes, Rei-sama," Nobuo sighed. Sometimes his young charge can be so stubborn, "I've already confirmed your hotel room reservation and will email you the confirmation for your records. I hope you have a fun time, tell them I send my best."

"I will, Nobuo-san. I'll text you when I return," Rei nodded. She turned again and walked into the building. Once she was in the elevator, she saw the limo pull away from the curb and drive slowly out of the parking lot.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 07/2013)


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note:** I decided to post both Chapter 1 and 2 at the same time to get this story going. Enjoy!

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references. I couldn't find who actually wrote the O-Town song, but I did my best! Though my professors would _hang_ me for making my citations non-alphabetical, I thought it would be easier to distinguish which song was which by the order they appear.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Bachman, T. (1999). _She's So High_ [Recorded by Tal Bachman]. On Tal Bachman [cassette], New York, New York: Sony Music Entertainment.

Angel, A.P., Estrada, E.-M., Miller, D., Penick, T., and Underwood, J. (2000). _Liquid Dreams_ [Recorded by O-Town]. On O-Town [CD], New York, New York: J Records.

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**

Minako finished showering and turned off the water. Once she had dried herself and her hair off enough to prevent from dripping on the floor, she hung the towels back up on the rack and walked out of the bathroom towards her laptop, which sat at a small desk at the foot of her queen-sized bed. Typing swiftly, her apartment was soon filled with music streaming from her computer.

 ** _\- 'Cause she's so high, high above me. She's so lovely. She's so high like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite. She's so high, high above me. -_**

Minako began dancing a little as she shuffled in time to the music towards her wall closet. She went to the right-side of the closet and slid one of the mirrored, panel doors open to reveal her clothes. She reached in and grabbed some undergarments and her typical work uniform, which consisted of a white, cotton camisole, a black, short-sleeve cardigan, and black fitted slacks. As she threw them on her bed, her eyes caught a glimpse of herself in the mirrored panels.

Her creamy skin truly made her piercing, sapphire eyes stand out. Those eyes were usually the first thing people noticed about her besides her lustrous, blond hair. They sparkled with a confident, bubbly, carefree, laissez-faire attitude that reflected her personality. Her toned body was perfectly shaped in every way, thanks to her time on the volleyball court during her high school years and occasionally in her free time during her college years. By anyone's standards, Minako was gorgeous. Sure, she could land any man she wanted and _had_ landed a few that caught her attention, but they never really lasted and she would end it fairly quickly. She smiled at her reflection,

 _That's because girls are_ _so_ _much more fun that guys!, s_ he thought. She knew from a young age that she was attracted to both men and women and had explored relationships with both genders. It wasn't until college that her interests began leaning slightly more towards the female make up. Though those relationships lasted just as long or maybe a week longer than her relationships with guys before she would end them, she enjoyed the intensity of them quite a bit.

Which is partially why she chose the job she had and continued to work there, always surrounded by beautiful women looking to her for advice and expertise. She loved the attention. But even then, she hadn't found one that could keep her interest longer than maybe a month, let alone _the_ one.

"Michi-chan is so lucky," she pouted as she got dressed, "Why can't _I_ find someone like Haru-chan who's strong, independent, and confident so they're not always clinging to me?"

She paused and giggled to herself, "But not to the point that they don't even know I'm around and don't worship me like the love-goddess I am!"

* * *

Once she was dressed, she went back to the bathroom, grabbed her blow dryer from under the sink, and plugged it in to dry her hair. When she finished, she brushed it carefully and tied it up and out of her face with a bright-red bow, which was a birthday gift from her sister. Though red was not one of her favorite colors, Usagi was so excited to give her the gift that Minako couldn't help but feel a warm fondness for the item despite its color.

"Ok," Minako said to herself in the bathroom mirror, "Now the hard part."

She walked out of the bathroom and back to her closet. This time, she went to the left-side and slid both panel doors all the way to the right, revealing a floor-to-ceiling, cubby-hole cabinet. By its design, it was obviously custom-built for the closet. Within each cubby-hole were professional makeup cases of varying colors.

"Let's see," Minako took a step back to eye her collection, "What do I want to do today?" She contemplated her options for a while before smiling and reaching for an orange case towards the bottom of the cabinet.

"Natural it is!," she said to herself cheerfully. Bringing the orange case to the bathroom, she opened it to reveal a variety of organized makeup products ranging from concealers, lotions, lipsticks, lip-gloss, mascaras, eyeliners, blushes, and foundations in all forms imaginable with accompanying brush and sponge sets. She chose a few items and expertly began applying the products to her face, mixing various colors and powders with skill.

Once she had put on the finishing touches, she stood back from the bathroom mirror to look at herself. If there was any question about her beauty before, it would most certainly be cast aside. It appeared as if she hadn't used any makeup at all while, at the same time, she had the airbrushed and perfect image of a model in a magazine. She smiled at her reflection, knowing that she had achieved her goal.

She checked her watch, 1:35pm. _Perfect!,_ she mentally congratulated herself, _Just enough time to grab a bite and head out._

She made her way to the kitchen where she pulled out a frozen, savory pastry from the freezer and popped it in the microwave.

 ** _Wrrrrrr…_**

As that was heating up, she retrieved her cellphone from the nightstand and located her purse on the breakfast bar that separated her kitchen from the rest of her studio apartment. She casually threw her phone into the purse and checked to make sure it contained her wallet and keys.

 ** _Wrrrrrr…Ding!_**

Grabbing the keys, she put the purse over her shoulder and went back to the kitchen to retrieve her meal. With food and keys in hand, she went to the front door and slipped on a pair of comfortable, black heels to go with her outfit. She looking back into her apartment to make sure she had turned off all the lights.

"Ittekimasu!," she called cheerfully as she opened the door and headed for work.

* * *

 ** _Wrrrrrr…Ding!_**

The elevator doors opened and Rei exited down an extravagant hallway to her condo. She pulled at the front pocket zipper of her duffle bag and fished out her keys. When she arrived at her door, she unlocked it and walked in.

"Tadaima," she casually called out to the empty two-bedroom condo. Even though she felt a slight pang of loneliness every time from never receiving a response since moving here for college, it was a habit she couldn't bring herself to break as it was something her grandpa instilled in her at a very young age.

 _Now that I have time, I should really go visit the shrine,_ she sighed to herself. The last time she had visited her grandpa was in her third year of college during Spring break. It wasn't that she didn't want to visit, on the contrary, she didn't feel at home anywhere else. But, to prepare for graduation and going pro in archery, she really had to buckle down her last year and had barely any time to sleep or eat, let alone drive into the wooded hillsides to visit her beloved grandpa, _It's been a while…It'd be nice to see Grandpa and be home again_. She took off her shoes and left them neatly near the front door as she continued into her condo.

* * *

The condo had an open layout with a stained, dark bamboo flooring that spread throughout the condo, except in the bedrooms and bathrooms. To the left was an open kitchen with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and black-granite counter-tops that were accented by red kitchen towels hanging over the oven door handle. The kitchen was separated from the living room by a white, rectangular island with breakfast bar and black bar stools with white cushions. Further in on that side was a dining area with a heavy, dark-wood table perpendicular to the kitchen and had six, white-leather, high-back chairs tucked in snugly. A large, bay window, parallel to the table, allowed for a view of the city.

The living room area, directly in front of the entry-way, had a large, white sofa with a couple red accent pillows, the backrest parallel to the breakfast bar. This was facing an elaborately carved fireplace in the wall to the right. Above that was a 52", flat-screen, HD television, complete with cable service, which she got from her best friend when she moved in. Despite Rei's distaste for television, she wasn't so rude as to turn down such an expensive gift, even if it _was_ meant to be a gag gift.

Further on the opposite wall from the entry-way were floor-to-ceiling glass panels with a sliding-glass door that lead to a balcony that stretched towards the right, beyond the wall that had the fireplace. This was framed on both sides by red black-out curtains and white, sheer curtains.

She took a right and followed the wall briefly until she reached a door to the right that led to her spare bedroom, which she converted into an archery equipment room and small office. She kept the room locked for safety reasons and used her keys to unlocking the door. When she opened it, it revealed a simple, corner desk with a laptop, lamp, and office chair situated at the far-left corner. That was the extent of the 'office' part. In the middle of the room was a large, long metal table on which sat a small, white remote, propane torch, allen wrenches, pliers, and organized stacks of rags, adhesives, various feather and plastic fletching, and bow strings. Lining the wall on the left was a series of racks that housed various groupings of arrows. The opposite wall from the door held bows of just as many and varying makes, models, and sizes.

Rei went around the table and dropped her duffle bag on the plush, white, carpeted floor. Gently, she set down her equipment case on the large table. She picked up the small, white remote and pointed it over her shoulder towards the laptop behind her. When she pressed a button, her office and the condo were immediately filled with music, courtesy of her online radio station and speaker system she had installed throughout the place.

 ** _\- Now this hot girl, she's not your average girl. She's a morpharotic dream from a magazine. And she's so fine, designed to blow your mind. She's a dominatrix supermodel beauty queen. -_**

Rei nodded her head to the music as she unbuckled the latches to open the equipment case. One by one, she pulled out the arrows and carefully wiped them with one of the rags at her disposal. She examined each one carefully and, for some, replaced the fletching that was worn or damaged from the competition earlier in the day. Once complete with the meticulous task, she placed each of them gently on the vacant arrow racks on the wall. Lastly, she pulled out her competition bow and wiped it down with care. Examining the pulleys at each end of the bow, she picked up an allen wrench and adjusted the tension on the strings with expertise. When she was satisfied with her work, she placed it gently on a vacant bow rack. Returning to the table, she neatly put her tools back in their proper place, closed the equipment case, and tucked it under the table.

"Ok," Rei said out loud to herself, "Time to put away the rest of my gear, shower, eat, do laundry, take out the trash, get gas, and pack for tomorrow."

 ** _Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!..._**

Before she could start her list of chores, her cellphone rang in her pocket. She used the remote to turn the music down and pulled out her phone. She looked at who it was and smiled,

"Hey," Rei answered once she flipped it open.

"Hey, Rei! Haha! I can never get over how funny that is!," a low husky voice laughed on the other line. Rei rolled her eyes at her best friend,

"So, how old are we now, Haruka?" Rei asked sarcastically with feigned annoyance, "I can't believe you still think that rhyming my name with 'hey' is funny after all these years."

"You know you love that about me," Tenoh Haruka replied flirtatiously.

"And I'm _sure_ Michiru would _love_ hearing about you shamelessly flirting with me," Rei quipped.

"Whatever! She knows it's just a bro-mance," Rei could hear Haruka smiling on the other line and couldn't help but smile as well, "Anyway, I was calling to congratulate you on your win today, Flame Sniper-san. Good job!," Haruka said, fondly using the nickname the press had dubbed her since her first competition win due to her deadly accuracy and her affinity for the color red. Though Haruka was an only child, she always saw Rei as a younger sister and took it upon herself to watch over her as such.

Rei closed her eyes and focused her energy through the phone to the woman on the other line. She smiled when she could feel her best friend's familiar, royal-blue aura coming through the phone, laced with pride.

"Thanks, Haruka," Rei replied sincerely. "That really means a lot." As an only child, Rei saw Haruka as a cool, older sister and idolized her. Besides her grandpa, she and Michiru were the only other people she truly trusted and felt she could really be herself around. Thus, she considered them family. Since they became friends, Rei strove to live up to the examples they set and make them proud.

 _Haruka's also the one who taught me how to curse like a sailor!,_ Rei thought as the memory of her earlier conversation with Hitoshi came back to her. She shook her head and brought her attention back to the conversation,

"Congratulations to you, too. I read in the newspaper yesterday that the World Shaker did it again in the States," Rei quoted, returning the favor and using the press nickname Haruka was dubbed when she began her career as a race-car driver. A magazine article quoted Haruka's explosive win in her first race as 'shaking the world' of auto racing and the nickname had stuck ever since.

"Who's the flirt now?," Haruka teased. Rei huffed, _Mataku, Haruka!_

"Anyway, speaking of the States," Rei chose instead to ignore Haruka's teasing, "Are you sure you're going to make it back on time tomorrow? Want me to pick you up from the airport?"

"No worries, I'll be back on time," Haruka responded, "Nobuo-san's not driving you tomorrow?"

"No, I gave him and the team the weekend off," Rei replied, "Since you said the hotel already has good security, he checked it out and gave it the all-clear. So I thought it would be silly for him to just drive me there and back."

"Mmn, that makes sense," Haruka replied, "I didn't request any security detail either tomorrow since I thought it would be silly to get one just for getting off the plane. The hotel's already so ritzy and big-names go there all the time so they're pretty good about that stuff. Other than my friend giving us a great deal, it's one of the reasons Michiru and I chose this place so we could move around freely without having to be guarded 24/7."

"So, A.D.D.-san, did you want me to pick you up or not?," Rei smirked.

"Sure!," Haruka laughed, "If you can pick me up at the airport around 1:00pm, that would be great!"

"Ok, sounds good," Rei responded, focusing her energy again on the woman on the other line, "Also…have you been practicing?" Though she struggled a bit due to the distance, she could sense faint hesitation in the royal blue aura.

"Y-Yeah…but-" Haruka began.

"C'mon, Haruka!," Rei whined, relaxing her senses.

"I know, I know," Haruka sighed, "It's just…I don't know, Rei. It's _really_ fucking dangerous."

"Haruka, you've seen me do it before at the shrine," Rei replied matter-of-factly, "You _know_ how my abilities work, I'll be fine! As long as I keep myself in check tomorrow and you've been practicing then it'll all be ok. When I showed you how to do it, you did it perfectly. I know you'll do great. C'mon, I really want to do this, not just for you, but for Michiru too."

Haruka sighed, _Sometimes Rei can be just as stubborn as me!_

"Ok, ok. We'll do it, we'll do it," Haruka conceded with a sigh, "Luckily, I brought the stuff with me to practice here so you can just pick me up and we can go straight to the hotel." She paused, "Rei…I really appreciate what you'll be doing. I know Michiru appreciates it too…But if anything happens to you, I will never forgive you!"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Rei replied with a sigh.

"OH, SHIT!," Haruka suddenly cried, "Oh my _fucking_ Gods, I can't believe I forgot! Rei, can you do me a favor?"

"What!? What is it!?," Rei asked with concern.

"I forgot I was supposed to pick up my outfit before leaving so I'd have it with me!," Haruka sighed. Rei nearly fell over in disbelief.

"It's still at the tailor shop," Haruka continued, "You know, the one next to the mall? They close tonight at 10:00pm and they'll be closed tomorrow for the weekend. Can you get it tonight and bring it with you tomorrow?"

"Of course," Rei sighed, "I have to go out and get gas anyways so I'll swing by there." Though she scanned Haruka's aura more times than she could count over the years to confirm, she sometimes still couldn't believe that Haruka was truly three years older than her. She smirked, "So, being a quarter of a century old is already making you start to forget _really_ important things? Next, you'll be having Michiru feeding you congee, you old fogie!"

"Keep it up and you're going to get an ass-whoopin' from an 'old fogie' tomorrow!," Haruka replied warningly with a smirk, "Well, I have to go, my flight's really early in the morning and I still need to pack. I'll see you tomorrow, ok? Love you, 'bye!"

"Ok, see you tomorrow. Love you too, 'bye," Rei replied. She flipped the phone closed and mentally added picking up Haruka's outfit from the tailor to her growing to-do list. After a brief second, she opened her phone again,

 _I'll text Nobuo-san to let him know I won't be driving alone tomorrow. I know it's his job, but sometimes he worries like a mother!,_ Rei chuckled to herself as she typed a brief message to her bodyguard. Once the sound of a sent message came from the device, she closed her phone and checked her clock, 3:00pm.

 _Where did the time go?,_ Rei sighed, _Well, better get started._

She unpacked her archery gear from her duffle bag and hung them on some pegs that were on the wall opposite from her desk. In the corner, across from the desk was a large trophy case. Behind the large, sliding glass doors of the trophy case were medals and trophies of varying sizes, neatly organized on staggered shelves. In the center was one of her most prized possessions: an Olympic gold metal in archery.

Once she was finished putting her equipment away, she closed and locked the door to her 'office' and went to her bedroom, which was through a door on the same wall as the fireplace, passed the guest bathroom.

* * *

Her bedroom had the same carpeting as the office. The wall to the left looked identical to the one in the living room, with floor-to-ceiling glass panels and a sliding-glass door that lead to the other end of the balcony, with matching curtains. One small indulgence she allowed herself when she moved in was her inviting, king-sized bed, covered in white, satin sheets and a lightweight red comforter. Having to consistently condition her body for tournaments, she would often come back to the condo sore and thanked Kami-sama for the invention of latex foam mattresses. She went to her walk-in closet, peeled off her clothes, and threw them in her laundry hamper before heading to the bathroom to shower.

If Minako was considered gorgeous, Rei would most certainly be at the same level, if not more. Her pale skin and jet-black hair made her mature amethyst eyes impossible to ignore. To most people, they only saw an aloof attitude and a fiery determination in her cold gaze. But, to those closest to her, her eyes revealed a strong personality, a fiercely loyal and caring heart, but haunted by a touch of pain, loneliness, and sadness. Her body was, of course, in excellent shape due to her years of training and moved with a seductive sway that would make anyone, man or woman, swoon.

But in all her years, she never once paid any romantic attention to a single soul. It wasn't that she didn't want it, she just never found someone who caught her attention in that way. And even if she had, she also just never…had time.

 _Haruka's so lucky to have a sexy and intelligent woman like Michiru, s_ he pouted to herself as she lathered up her hair. Rei knew from a young age that women were her gender of choice. She used to be absolutely _repulsed_ by men, but over the years her feelings towards men soften to… _barely_ tolerating them. Other than Haruka, Michiru, and her grandpa, she didn't share this part of herself with anyone else. And even then, it wasn't until Haruka came out to Rei _first_ that Rei decided to share her preference with her best friend. It wasn't that she was ashamed or _trying_ to hide it, she was just confident and secure enough in herself that she thought of it as just another part of her, like her eye color. She just never saw the _need_ to come out. It was _her_ business, not anyone else's.

Though in all her years she hadn't met anyone that made her weak in the knees, she still hoped for love. When she was 10 years old and began practicing fire reading at the shrine, she would have…a reoccurring vision. The vision was always the same.

* * *

 _Rei was kneeling seiza-style, as if in prayer, with a shadowy figure of a woman standing in front of her, her back facing Rei. The woman had long hair that came past her waist, like Rei's, with an orange-gold glow around her. She looked over her shoulder and, though Rei couldn't make out her face, she sensed the woman was smiling warmly at her. The woman half-turned to face Rei and extended her hand towards the kneeling archer._

 _"Oide…," The shadowy figure said in an inviting melodic tone._

 _Rei's heart was pounding loudly in her ears, not out of fear but…what? She was hesitant, but found herself slowly reaching out to take the woman's hand. When their hands touched, a soft glow flowed into Rei through their joined hands as if the woman was filling her soul with a warmth that made her feel…complete._

* * *

The vision would always end after Rei took hold of the shadowy woman's hand. When Rei first began having this vision, she thought that the woman was her mother and, for years, actively revisited it in her fire readings as a way to be with her mother again. Thought she was happy to see her mother again, she was always shattered when she couldn't see beyond her taking her hand.

When Rei turned 13 and had honed her fire reading abilities more, she had come to find that the woman in her vision was not her mother. The woman's aura signature was similar, but not the same as her mother's. The woman's voice, though it was just as kind as her mother's, was just a touch higher in pitch.

Unsure of what to make of this recurring vision, Rei hunted down and consulted with the only person she knew would have an answer: her grandpa. After she had found him in the rock garden and recounted the vision to him, he smiled and lifted an eyebrow…

* * *

 _"Reiko…are you attracted to women?"_

 _When Rei averted her gaze and blushed in silence, her grandpa took that as a 'yes'. He chuckled to himself as he placed a comforting hand on Rei's shoulder, "My dear Reiko," he said kindly, "This vision you're having is nothing to be worried about."_

 _Rei lifted her head to look at her grandpa with confusion. He patted her shoulder and began walking towards the house, still smiling._

 _"But, Grandpa, what does it mean? If it's not Mama, who is she?," Rei asked in frustration._

 _Rei's grandpa stopped and responded warmly, "Patience, Reiko, patience. In time, you will know who she is."_

 _He looked over his shoulder and smiled at his beloved granddaughter, "Because," he continued, "She will be your soulmate."_

* * *

 **Author Note:** Thanks for reading, let me know what you think.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 07/2013)


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note:** In the A/Ns of Chapter 1, I said this was my first fanfiction. I should probably clarify that statement: This is my first story...like ever. I've never written _anything_ outside of anything academic until now (as you can probably tell by the citations? ^_^) I was really inspired by the great stories floating around on this site. There are some really amazing writers out there.

This story is centered around Sailor Moon characters and isn't meant to be a crossover story at all. But there will be instances of, what I would consider, "guest appearances" of characters who aren't pivotal to the plot. I just happen to like them.

 **Kirei** = [Japanese] Pretty or beautiful

I don't own Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

CLAMP. (1996). _Cardcaptor Sakura_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

The store 'Kirei' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 3:**

Minako was stocking the shelves with recently received items when a young lady approached her.

"Ummm...E-Excuse me...Do you work here?," The young lady asked.

Minako turned her head towards the timid voice. The adorable young lady looked to be no older than fourteen, her delicate hands were fidgeting nervously with the ends of her asymmetrical, layered, shoulder-length, brown hair.

"Yes, I do," Minako replied with a dazzling smile, "How can I help you?"

The young lady blushed when she saw Minako's face, _Wow.._.s _he's so…beautiful!,_ she thought to herself. She became more nervous under Minako's gentle gaze, "U-Ummm…I-I'm looking for…well, I…I'm not s-sure how to…I've never…I h-have a…," The young lady averted her gaze to the ground as she stuttered, her face now fully flushed with embarrassment.

Minako giggled to herself and set down the items she was restocking. She approached the young lady and gently placed a finger under the young lady's chin, tilting her head up to meet her gaze. When the young lady looked up and met Minako's cerulean eyes, Minako smiled,

"So," Minako said, "You have a date and you want to look your best, but you've never used makeup before and need assistance. Is that right?"

The young lady's jaw dropped. She wasn't sure whether to be impressed by Minako's insightful observation or more embarrassed that she might have made it _painfully_ obvious that she had _absolutely_ no idea what she was doing when it came to beauty products.

Minako took her silence as a 'yes', "You have a great complexion so we don't have to worry about the canvas," she continued, tilting her head slightly as she began examining the young lady's face, "Probably just a light, powder foundation to even everything out. Maybe we can do a slight, winged-eyeliner look with a faint eye-shadow to make your eyes stand out. A baby-pink lip gloss would really bring it all together. Why don't we go to my station and we'll try it out? If you like it, I can show you how to do it at home and give you a discount if you decide to buy anything."

She paused and smiled, "And...since it seems you already have a healthy blush going on, we can perhaps skip that part?," she winked, playfully teasing the young lady.

Minako didn't think it was possible, but she watched as the young lady's face now went crimson from blushing, _Yep!_ , she giggled to herself, G _irls are_ _way_ _more fun than guys!_

"S-Sure," the young lady said when she finally found her voice, "Th-That sounds good."

* * *

Minako led the young lady from the product aisles over to the other side of the store which was lined with makeup stations and mirrors surrounded by lights. It reminded the young lady of glamorous makeup stations found in famous actresses' dressing rooms or like she'd seen in the movies.

Minako stopped at a station and turned around to face the young lady. She gestured towards a black, salon chair with the name "Aphrodite" in white screen-print on the backrest.

"Have a seat and we'll get started. My name is Aino Minako, what's yours?," Minako asked.

"K-Kinomoto," The young lady said as she slowly sat down in the chair, "Kinomoto Sakura."

"Nice to meet you, Kinomoto-san," Minako said politely as she turned towards her station table, which was covered with all sorts of beauty products, and began picking out the necessary items she was going to use on Sakura. She turned back around and began gently wiping Sakura's face with a damp towelette, "So what I'm doing right now is using a face wash to prep your skin. Next I'll use a toner and moisturizer before applying the foundation. You can also put a face primer on before the foundation to help your makeup stay on longer, but since I'm just showing you how to do this we won't do that, ok?," Sakura nodded, taking in the information that Minako was sharing.

"Now," Minako smiled, "Tell me about this person you're going on a date with?"

Minako continued to work while her young customer started talking about the boy in her class that she had known since elementary school, had a crush on for _years_ , and who _finally_ noticed her. Sakura began to relax as she and Minako chatted about dating, high school, and boys. Minako smoothly inserted a few tips on the makeup techniques she was using on Sakura as she was doing them without breaking the rhythm of their conversation.

* * *

When Minako was finished with the makeup demo, she swiveled Sakura around to face the mirror at her station and stood behind her, "So, what do you think?," Minako asked as she looked at Sakura through the mirror.

Sakura's mouth dropped slightly and was speechless. In the mirror, an attractive young lady resembling herself was staring back at her. Of course she's seen herself in a mirror many times before, but this time the image that was reflected had all her best features showcased favorably and flawlessly,

"I look…sexy!," Sakura managed to say.

Minako smiled at Sakura's reaction. She placed her hands on the young lady's shoulders and leaned closer, "That's because you are, sweetheart," she whispered softly in her ear. Sakura blushed at these words and smiled shyly as her gaze went to her hands folded in her lap. Minako straightened and swiveled the chair again so Sakura was now facing her,

"C'mon," Minako said cheerfully, "I'll show you where the products I used are."

Minako led her through the product aisles, recapping the makeup demo as she presented each product and, as promised, gave Sakura a discount when she decided to buy all the products. After Minako rung up Sakura's purchase, the young lady smiled and waved to Minako as she headed towards the door.

"Thanks a lot, Aino-sempai!," Sakura said cheerfully, "You were really helpful!"

"You're welcome, Kinomoto-san. Good luck!," Minako waved back as she watched Sakura practically skip out of the store.

"Chalk another one up for Aphrodite. You never cease to amaze me, Aino-san," Minako heard someone say behind her. She instantly knew by the playful nickname she gained from her time working at the store that her boss and friend was standing behind her. She turned and smiled at her long-time employer,

"Thanks, Fujii-san!, " Minako replied, "I love working with the clueless ones." She giggled, "Especially when they're cute."

Fujii Karin was the same height as Minako. Her pink hair went just past her shoulders and accented her playful, aqua eyes. She was wearing the store's manager uniform that consisted of a white, button-up shirt, tucked into black slacks, and a black skinny-tie. She had folded her sleeves up above her elbows, which allowed her to show-off her forearm tattoos, which consisted of koi fish swimming around her arms. She smiled back at Minako.

"Well, from the looks of it, she doesn't look too clueless anymore," Karin smiled proudly to her employee, "Which is partially why I wanted to see you. Let's go to my office and chat."

Minako followed Karin to the back of the store and through a door that led to the employee locker room and manager offices.

* * *

Karin's office consisted of a cherry-wood, L-shaped desk with a two-shelf hutch that was flush against the left-side of the room. The desk, which had a computer and neat stacks of files on one side, separated her high-back, black-leather, rolling office chair from two cushioned, vinyl, guest chairs that sat across from it. Along the walls were framed prints of alternating inspirational quotes and different tropical paradise scenes.

Karin gestured for Minako to sit in one of the guest chairs as she closed the door. As Minako sat down, Karin walked around her, opting instead to leaned against her desk rather than sit, facing Minako. Once in the privacy of Karin's office, both women allowed the formalities to drop,

"Mina-chan, ever since we hired you, you've been doing a really great job," Karin began, "I don't know anyone else that has risen to head artist as quickly as you have, especially since you started only working part-time while attending college and cosmetology school at the same time. It's quite impressive. And since we were able to promote you to head artist, you've learned this place inside and out and we've had an increase in revenues and return customers. In all my years working here, I don't know anyone that can match you and your talent in makeup. And on top of that, everyone _loves_ you here. Customers are always contacting us about how great their visits were and your coworkers have nothing but great things to say about you and how helpful you are. Hell, you even helped cover for _me_ as manager while I was out. I just want to let you know that I've notice those things."

"Thanks, Karin-chan!," Minako replied with a smile, "You know how much I love working here so I'm glad that I can help in any way I can."

"And because of all that," Karin continued, "We have to let you go."

"…What?," Minako was stunned. Karin looked down towards the floor and her shoulders began to shake. Suddenly, she burst into loud laughter.

"Hahaha! Gotcha!," Karin said as she continued to laugh hysterically at her practical joke, "Oh, sweetie! I wish you could have seen your face when I said that!"

"Wh...What the hell, Karin-chan!? Mou!," Minako breathed a sigh of relief and pouted at her boss, "I don't remember you being into practical jokes when we were dating."

Karin's laughter was winding down and she wiped the tears that had formed in her eyes. She smiled at Minako and said in between breaths and giggles, "Well…that's because…we're friends now and I…don't have to impress you anymore."

Minako crossed her arms and continued trying to pout, but couldn't help but smile slightly. She was glad that she managed to stay friends, or at least on good terms, with her exes. Especially Karin, who ended up becoming one of her closest friends.

"Speaking of which," Minako said, "How's Azumi-chan? Did she enjoy the honeymoon?"

"She's good, thanks for asking," Karin beamed as she spoke about her wife, "Yeah, the resort near Nagoya was amazing. Thanks for recommending it! We were just saying how we should have you and Usagi-chan over for a girl's night dinner again."

"Sure! Just let me know and I'll check with Usa-neechan!," Minako replied excitedly.

"Anyways, what I _really_ meant to say was that I have some news," Karin said, referring to their previous topic of conversation, "I just heard this morning that I'm being promoted to work in the corporate office."

"Oh my Gods! Karin-chan! Congratulations! That's so exciting! I'm so proud of you!," Minako squealed for her friend as she jumped out of her seat and gave Karin a big hug.

"Oof! Th-Thanks, sweetie," Karin replied as the wind was knocked out of her as she caught her boisterous friend, "But that's not all."

"Oh! Sorry!," Minako giggled as she pulled away, "What else?"

"You might want to sit down for this," Karin said as she gently guided Minako back to her seat, "So, if I'm moving to the corporate office, that means my position will be open starting Monday. And...," Karin paused for effect, "...It's yours if you want it."

Minako's eyes widened and her jaw dropped, "Wait…What? Are you serious! This isn't another joke, is it?," she asked suspiciously.

"It'll be a pay raise," Karin continued as she smiled widely at her shocked friend, "There's also stock options. You'll have regular, weekday hours. No more crazy schedules. Also, Yumi, the morning manager, wanted to switch to the evening and weekend schedule so you'll even be doing the shorter morning schedule from 7:00am to 2:00pm for the same pay. It _is_ a little more responsibility than head artist, but it's nothing you haven't done before since you ran the place while Azumi and I were on our honeymoon. I also put in a word to corporate about how much potential you have and showed them the numbers since you started working here. They like what they see and they want to put you on the fast-track to move up and work there also. If you accept this position, they're willing to offer a full-ride scholarship for you to go to any MBA program you like, not strings attached. And, by the way, Mina-chan, they NEVER do that! It's also perfect because if you choose a university near here you'll be able to do night classes while still keeping your job. This is a great opportunity for you, Mina-chan! So, what do you think?"

Even though Minako heard every word Karin said, she was still in shock and trying to process _exactly_ what it was Karin was saying, "So…you're saying I have to get up _super_ early now?"

Karin nearly fell over, "OH MY GODS, MINA-CHAN! Is that _all_ you heard!? Yes, that's part of it, but did you hear the rest!? I'm telling you that you're the first person _ever_ the company has offered such a great opportunity to because they believe in you and _all_ you can think about is _sleeping in_!?"

"Nyahaahaa…," Minako giggled nervously as she scratched her cheek, "It's just a lot to take in. I can't believe this is happening."

"Well, believe it, Mina-chan," Karin said with a huff as she crossed her arms, "And don't think I'll let you let this opportunity slip through your fingers! As your boss, I'm obligated to tell you that you have the right to say 'no'. But, as your friend, I'll strangle you if you don't say 'yes'!"

Karin's face turned serious as she looked straight into Minako's eyes, "Sweetie, you know I love you, but sometimes you can be so insecure and unsure of yourself. I _know_ you can do this. You have _so_ much talent and potential in this industry and I don't want to see you waste it by stocking shelves. I've seen you create your own palettes and do innovative things with cosmetics. Hell, that's why we call you 'Aphrodite' because you can make even a pig look like a goddess! This could be a chance for you to learn the ropes and maybe even _make_ your own line instead of just using the crap that's out there."

Tears were beginning to form in Minako's eyes and she sniffed them back. Other than, Usagi, Karin was the only other person who really knew her and loved her enough to be so straight-forward with her.

"Thanks, Karin-chan. It means a lot how much you believe in me," Minako said sincerely. She was taken by surprise when she found her nose being gently tweaked by her friend.

" _You_ should believe in yourself _too_ , Mina-chan," Karin said firmly. "So, is that a 'yes'?"

A wide smile pulled at Minako's lips, "This is so crazy…I'll do it! Thanks so much for everything, Karin-chan!"

"Don't thank me, you deserve it!," Karin said as she walked behind her desk. She leaned over and began rummaging through one of her bottom drawers.

"I'll put in all the paperwork today so you'll be all set for Monday in your new position, Manager-san," Karin said as she found what she was looking for and pulled out a letter-size envelope and a tall, velvet pouch, "Here's your last check as head artist and a present from Azumi and me on your promotion!"

"Aww, Karin-chan! You guys didn't have to do that!," Minako said as she took the pouch. She reached in and pulled out an expensive bottle of creamy Nigori sake, "Holy shit, Karin-chan! Thank you!" She practically jumped over the desk to hug her boss and friend again.

"Oof! N-No problem," Karin managed to say as she hugged her friend back. Minako released her friend so Karin could breathe again.

"This is so exciting! I can't believe this! You guys should come over tonight so we can celebrate and have it together!," Minako exclaimed.

"Sorry, sweetie!," Karin said as she held her hands up in front of her and bowed in apology, "We're driving to my parents' house tonight and staying for a while to celebrate my promotion with them. The traffic won't be as bad late at night as it is in the morning."

"Oh, okay," Minako said a little disappointed.

"But," Karin looked up and tapped her chin with her finger, thinking, "How about we plan to do our girl's night dinner next Saturday at our place to celebrate?"

"Okay, that sounds good! I'll tell Usa-neechan," Minako said cheerfully.

She suddenly turned nervous and looked at the floor, "U-Umm…Karin-chan?," Minako began hesitantly.

"Yes, Mina-chan?" Karin asked curiously due to her friend's sudden change.

"Do I… _have_ to go to grad school, like…soon? I mean…I'm still not even sure what exactly it is I _want_ to do. I mean, I like cosmetics and I know I'm good at it, but…I don't know," Minako began fidgeting with her fingers, bracing herself for another round of Karin's scolding. Instead, she felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder.

"Mataku, Mina-chan," Karin sighed as she shook her head, "We _really_ need to work on that insecurity of yours. I had a feeling you'd be nervous about that part. It's not like you haven't worked and gone to school before. Like I said, I know you'd be able to do it and I think you'd be really good at it. You have a good head on your shoulders. But, no, I negotiated with them to have the offer stand for as long as you work for the company. So, even if you got promoted or worked in this position forever, it's up to you whether you decide to do it or not as long as you don't get a job somewhere else."

Minako sighed in relief, "Ok, that makes me feel better."

Karin leaned over and hugged her friend warmly, "For someone who's such a flirt and comes off so confident, you really _are_ hopeless."

Minako sighed, "I know."

Karin kissed her friend on the cheek and pulled away. Grabbing the envelope from the table, she held it out to Minako and smirked, "Now put these away in your locker and get back to work or I'll fire you for real!"

"Yes, ma'am!," Minako giggled as she saluted. She took her sake and paycheck and left Karin's office, closing the door behind her. Once those items were safely locked away, she returned to the storefront to continue her work.

Karin flopped down in her office chair. Leaning back, she sighed as she closed her eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose, _Mataku, what are we going to do with you, Mina-chan?_

* * *

It was 9:40pm by the time Rei walked out of the tailor shop carrying Haruka's outfit. It took her longer than she thought to get her to-do list done for the day and she almost thought she wouldn't make it to the shop in time.

"Mataku!," Rei cursed aloud to herself, "I can't believe Haruka forgot this! I'd _love_ to tell Michiru about this if I knew she wouldn't kill her!"

Though she always enjoyed seeing Haruka squirm when Michiru got upset at her antics, she loved her too much to wish death upon her. She unlocked her car and laid the garment bag flat on the backseat, being careful not to wrinkle it. She slid into the driver's seat, started the car, and was about to put the car in reverse and pull out of her spot when she looked up and a store at the neighboring mall caught her eye.

"'Kirei', huh?," Rei said as she read the store name out loud.

 _I know they're going to have a professional makeup artist tomorrow, but they always overdo it because of how pale my skin is and I always end up looking like a clown!,_ Rei thought to herself as the numerous photo shoots and commercials she's had to do during college for Hino Sporting Enterprise flashed through her mind, _I should really bring some of my own makeup…and maybe some makeup remover just in case._

She flipped open her phone to check the time, _Looks like they're still open for another 20 minutes or so. I'll just be quick so I don't burden the staff._

Rei turned the car off and gracefully stepped out. She beeped her car lock over her shoulder and walked to the store.

* * *

 **Author Note:** I have a pretty solid idea of where I want the story to go, but I've never been a big vocab person. I'm more of a visual person. I 'watch' the story and scenes play out in my head and then struggle with putting them down in words. I mostly get stuck and have a hard time describing things or finding the right words to convey what I 'see' in my mind so it takes me, what I think, a long time to get a chapter out. And, because of my perfectionist tendencies, I have a bad habit of going back and trying to tweak and re-write even the smallest of details to make it "just right". So you might see some re-posting of chapters with very very minimal changes or sporadic postings of new chapters in the future.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 08/2013)


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Note:** It's a little sad how anticlimactic posting a chapter is. It takes me weeks to write a chapter, wrestle with the wording to try and convey what I mean, edit and adjust it, but only mere minutes to post. I feel like confetti should shower down and a banner saying "Congratulations!" should appear or something.

But I _have_ been enjoying reading the reviews I've received so far, thanks for those! They're very encouraging! I'm not really big into shout-outs, I like to write PMs instead. I find them more personal. So if you wrote/write a review, I'll try to PM you to express my thanks!

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Kreviazuk, C. J. and Lavigne, A. (2004). _Who Knows_ [Recorded by Avril Lavigne]. On Under My Skin [CD], New York, New York: Artisa Records.

Subaru and the Impreza belongs to the automobile manufacturing division of the Subaru Corporation (cited August, 2013). The brand is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

 **Chapter 4:**

"You sure you're ok closing up on your own?," Karin asked with concern.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Minako said confidently as she began wiping down the register counter, "Azumi-chan's already been waiting in the car for 5 minutes, there's no need to make her wait another 20 until we close. I know you two have a drive ahead of you so you should go. I'll be fine! And, plus, who's going to walk in this late anyways?"

"Ok," Karin sighed hesitantly, "I guess you're right. Well...text me once you leave, ok? I'm going out the back, I'll see you Saturday."

"'Bye, Karin-chan!," Minako waved.

 ** _\- Why do you look so familiar? I could swear that I have seen your face before. I think I like that you seem sincere. I think I'd like to get to know you a little bit more. -_**

Minako continued to wipe down the counter, humming along to the soft music that kept her company in the store.

 ** _Jingle Jingle!_**

She was interrupted by the door chime ringing, signaling someone entering the store.

"Good evening! Welcome to Kirei!," Minako called towards the door. She couldn't see the person who walked in due to the display aisles, but she could hear high heels hitting the cement floor, "We close at 10:00pm, but please feel free to take your time and let me know if you have any questions!"

"Mmn," Minako heard a woman's smooth voice reply. As she finished cleaning the counter, she listened to the customer's shoes clicking against the floor, browsing the product aisles. Grabbing a push broom, Minako began going up and down the aisles smoothly and meticulously.

When she rounded the corner of one of the aisles, she came to an immediate halt. Her grip on the broom handle tightened as her breath caught. Her heart began beating so loudly she could hear it in her ears and she felt her face begin to blush.

Before her was a beautiful woman, kneeling in front of the blushes, examining one of the products in her hands. She was wearing a fitted, black tank-top that matched her black pumps with white jeans that accentuated her porcelain skin. Her long, raven-colored, silky hair barely brushed the floor and was tucked behind one ear so Minako could see the profile of her flawless face.

No, 'beautiful' was not the word to describe this creature. According to Minako, a word hadn't yet been _invented_ to describe such perfection. She stood there, mesmerized by the woman.

* * *

Rei could sense a presence near her and was mildly annoyed, _I hope she doesn't recognize me and ask for an autograph or something. I just want to get my things, pay, and go home._

"I don't need any help," she said almost curtly without looking up, "Thank you."

Minako snapped out of her trance. Her brow furrowed, _Mataku! Why is it beautiful people always have to be so rude!?_

She huffed and continued sweeping the floor, trying to ignore the woman as she walked passed. But, as she walked by, she chanced a glance at her from the corner of her eye and saw the blush the woman was holding in her hands, _No, that's too orange for her skin. It's not going to work for how pale she is._

She quickly scanned the blush displays and her eyes landed on one she knew would be better. Placing the broom down, she approached and knelt down next to the woman.

"Someone with skin as pale as yours should go with something a little lighter," Minako said as she picked up the product she was eying. Satisfied with her choice after a quick examination, she held out the product to the stranger, "I think this'll be better for you."

"I told you, I'm fine. I don't need-," Rei began irritatedly, but stopped when she turned to look at the insolent woman. Her violet eyes widened as she was met by piercing, sapphire eyes. The woman's blond hair was just as long as her own and shined like the sun. Though it looked soft to the touch, her creamy skin appeared to be softer. Though the stranger's gorgeous appearance played a minor role in breaking Rei's standoffish attitude, what shook Rei to the very core was the aura that was radiating around her, _That aura! It…It_ _can't_ _be!_

 _Wow…,_ Minako thought in awe, _Violet eyes…Where have I seen eyes like that before?_

After a few moments of silence, Minako was the first to break it, "Ummm…Sorry, but...h-have we met before? You look... _really_ familiar."

Rei snapped out of her trance and blushed slightly, "N-No, we haven't met before," she said as she averted her gaze to the floor, unable to hold Minako's gaze, "I…I would have _definitely_ remembered you if we did."

Minako blushed at the comment and became a little more confident. She smiled to herself, _Oh, this is going to be fun!_

"Well, like I said, I think this color will be better for how pale your skin is. But, even though the color might be good, there's always a chance of putting too much on and making you look like a clown," Minako giggled as she became more comfortable around the stranger, "And with how beautiful you are, I think that would be quite a shame."

Rei continued to blush as she stared at the floor, _What the hell's wrong with me? I can't…I can't even_ _look_ _at her! Kami-sama, is she…is she really-_

"How about we go to my makeup station and I can show you some tricks for how to apply it for your complexion?," Minako offered and she placed the product back on display, interrupting Rei's thoughts, "We can also do some highlighting over the blush and find something for your eyes and lips to complete the look? It's free and I'll also give you a discount if you decide to buy anything." She stood up and began walking towards the makeup stations.

Rei, hearing the stranger shuffle and begin to walk away, was finally able to turn and look in her direction. Minako stopped a couple steps away. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly at Rei. She half-turned to face her and extended her hand towards the kneeling archer.

"Oide, I promise it'll be painless," she said in an inviting melodic tone.

Rei barely made out what Minako was saying due to her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She felt the blood drain from her face as she stared in disbelief at Minako, _Kami-sama! It…It really_ _is_ _her!_

"A-Are you ok?," Minako's asked with concern. Rei nodded slowly as she hesitantly found herself reaching out to take Minako's hand. When their hands touched, Rei expected to feel her soul slowly filling with warmth as she had in her vision.

* * *

Unfortunately, she didn't. She sensed the woman's gentle heart and outgoing, carefree nature, but not the warm, enveloping feeling she always had in her vision. Rei's heart sank, _I guess...I guess it_ _isn't_ _her._

Minako gently tugged on Rei's hand to help her stand up. Once the two women were standing face-to-face, Minako noticed that the beautiful woman was a couple inches taller than her. She became lost in the taller woman's intense amethyst eyes and almost forgot what she was doing,

 _Gods, I could get lost staring into her eyes forever,_ Minako mused. She almost didn't notice that they were still holding hands.

Rei, on the other hand, was _more_ than aware of their physical connection. She could sense Minako's growing fascination through her hand and she found herself flattered by it, _Well, even if she_ _isn't_ _the one, she's still_ _really_ _cute!_

"Well then," Minako coughed, remembering she was still working. She reluctantly let go of Rei's hand, "Shall we go over to my station?"

"Mmn," Rei replied, slightly disappointed that Minako had let go of her hand. She followed Minako to her makeup station and Minako gestured for her to sit down as she did will all her customers,

"Have a seat and we'll get started," Minako began, "My name is Aino Minako, what's yours?"

Rei was hesitant to respond. Usually once people heard her name, they recognized her from her promotional ads for her father's company or from archery contests and that's usually when they became annoyingly fawning fans. But she also had too much pride to lie about who she was,

"Hino Rei," Rei replied slowly as she sat down in the chair.

"Nice to meet you, Hino-san," Minako said as she bowed politely, "I look forward to working with you."

 _Gods!_ _Why the hell does that name sound so familiar!?_ , Minako thought to herself.

Rei was happily surprised, _Whew! She doesn't recognize me!_ She began to relax as Minako turned to her station and pulled out the same color blush she showed Rei earlier.

"So, what I'm doing is taking an angled blush brush to pick up some of the makeup," Minako said as she turned back to Rei. She swirled the brush gently over the powdered makeup. Setting the compact down, she began to flick the end of the brush with her fingers, "What this will do is get rid of the excess blush so you don't put on too much. But if you _do_ end up putting too much on, you can always get a beauty blender and roll it over your cheeks lightly to pick up the extras that way." She began applying the blush expertly onto the apple of Rei's cheeks, blending back towards her temples.

Rei listened to what Minako was saying, but was a little distracted by how close the woman's gorgeous face was to her own. She couldn't help but stare at her azure eyes, _Wow…her eyes are captivating!_

"If you wanted to do some highlighting shimmers," Minako continued, "I'd suggest probably a light champagne color and using a highlighting brush to go right over the blush."

Though Rei continued to listen to Minako's suggestions, her gaze had lowered ever so slightly to stare at Minako's alluring lips as she spoke. This didn't go unnoticed by Minako due to their close proximity and Minako smirked slightly,

"So, Hino-san, when you're not out at all hours of the night buying makeup, who are you doing?," she asked casually as she finished applying the blush and began applying shimmer over Rei cheeks.

"I-," Rei began but stopped herself when she registered Minako's question, "Wait, what?"

Minako giggled, "What?," she asked innocently, "I was just asking what you do for a living. Why? Did you hear something else?"

Rei smirked, _Oh, so we're playing like_ _that_ _now, are we?_

 _That smirk! I_ _swear_ _I've either met her or seen her somewhere before!,_ Minako racked her brain but couldn't place her finger on it. In the end, she decided to let it go.

"I work in the sports industry," Rei responded in her smooth tone, "Other than that, what I do and _who_ I do is my business." She lowered her voice slightly, "Unless...you're _trying_ to make it yours?"

Minako smirked, _Yep, this is going to be_ _really_ _fun!_

"I understand," Minako replied casually, "I have some…friends…in the fashion industry who like their privacy also," Rei subtly let out a relieved sigh that Minako respected her privacy enough to not push for more information regarding her profession, "But," she continued, "For my profession, I like to make it my business to get to know all my customers so I can help meet their needs. There's different types of makeup techniques people can use for all sorts of occasions so it helps to know what my customers do."

Minako stopped what she was doing and Rei looked at her with questioning eyes. Minako brought her hands down slowly to rest on the armrests of the chair on either side of Rei. Slowly, she leaned in closer, practically pinning Rei to the seat without touching her, her body only inches away from Rei,

"And...for customers I find… _especially_ interesting," she said with a seductive whisper as she looked intently into Rei's amethyst eyes, "I take _extra_ care to get to know them. Their likes…dislikes…I make sure that when they leave our store they're… _satisfied_ with my services." She slowly pushed herself away and straightened up. Smiling slyly, she turned towards her station to pick out the perfect eye-shadow palettes for Rei as if nothing happened.

Even without her abilities, Rei could tell that Minako was flirting with her. Unfazed and amused, she continued to play along, "I see. You must be really dedicated to your trade."

"Well, I aim to please," Minako replied casually.

"Tell me then, Aino-san, do you use these lines on _all_ your customers, or just the 'interesting' ones," Rei challenged playfully.

"I have a loose script I follow, yes," Minako replied as she glanced up at the mirror to sneak a glimpse of the woman, "I start with introducing myself, different makeup products and techniques that I think complement my customer's style and occasion. But the conversations I have are all based on the energy and chemistry that organically comes up between me and the person I'm assisting."

She turned to look at Rei directly, "To answer your question, I haven't quite decided yet whether I find you interesting or not to use _any_ sort of 'line' on you, Hino-san," she quipped playfully, "But I'm thoroughly enjoying finding out. I'll be putting some eye-shadow on you that will complement your eyes so you'll need to close them for me."

She pouted slightly, "I almost don't want to, I like looking at your eyes. They're stunning." She grinned slyly, "But, then again, maybe I like the idea of you not knowing what I'll do once you shut them."

Rei raised an eyebrow, "Is that a challenge? I'd also like to know what you'd do to me if I was helplessly blind."

"Would you, now?," Minako asked in a low voice as she approached Rei, "Well then, close your eyes and find out."

Rei smirked and did as she was told. Minako began gently applying a light gold and light purple from a couple palettes she picked out to go with the shimmer on her cheeks and the color of her eyes, occasionally using her ring finger to smooth the colors together. Rei could see Minako's aura in her mind's eye flickering playfully. She could tell that Minako was enjoying this game they were playing quite a bit. She began focusing her energy more on the woman, reaching out to tap into Minako's thoughts,

 _Her lips look so soft. They already have a nice pink color to them so I think a sheer lip gloss would look great,_ Minako thought, _I wonder if we still have any of that sheer, cherry-flavored lip gloss left in stock._ She smiled to herself slyly, _I'd_ _love_ _to know what it'd be like to nibble_ _that_ _off those enticing lips!_

Minako's thoughts were interrupted by Rei chuckling softly to herself. Minako straightened, "What's so funny?," she asked curiously.

"Absolutely nothing, Aino-san," Rei said, trying to sound serious, "Please, continue."

Minako raised an eyebrow but continued with her work, "Ok, you can open your eyes now," she said as she finished. She stepped back to examine her customer. Rei let her senses relax as she opened her eyes.

"Disappointed that I didn't take advantage of you?," Minako asked playfully when she was met with Rei's lavender eyes.

"Maybe," Rei responded with a wink, "Does that mean you find me an uninteresting client?"

"So impatient and eager for answers, Hino-san," Minako replied coyly as she put the eye-shadow compacts away.

"Some of my best traits," Rei quipped.

"Well, like you said, I'm very dedicated to my trade so I like doing a good job," Minako said, "But, I'm also a professional so, of course, I wouldn't make a move on you _while_ I was working." She winked at Rei flirtatiously, pausing to allow the implication to sink in before she continued, "There's something I want to try using on you, but I want to see if we have it in stock, I'll be right back."

She walked towards the product aisles to the lip gloss section. Rei stayed in the chair and smirked, _She's_ _really_ _going to go look for_ _that_ _, isn't she?_

Minako was a little disappointed to find that they were out of stock of the cherry-flavored gloss and settled on a plain sheer lip gloss instead. Returning to her station, she began opening the bottle, "This sheer gloss will bring the whole look together and finish the look perfectly," she explained as she began applying it to Rei's lips in broad strokes.

"So, while I had my eyes closed, what _were_ you thinking of if you weren't planning on taking advantage of me?," Rei asked mischievously.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know, Hino-san," Minako smiled coyly as she finished up.

"I think I have a pretty good idea," Rei replied confidently.

"Such confidence, Hino-san," Minako said teasingly as she gracefully walked behind the chair and slowly swiveled it so both of them were facing the mirror. They both kept their eyes on each other instead of themselves through the reflection, "Another one of your 'best traits'?"

"One of many," Rei quipped as she smirked.

"Well, take a look and let me know what you think," Minako said, "After that, maybe _I'll_ let you know what _my_ verdict is on _you_."

Rei looked at herself in the mirror and was actually surprised by what she saw. She leaned forward a bit to get a closer look. She was not only pleased that Minako managed to avoid having her look ridiculously overdone, she chose the perfect shades and just the right amount of each product to bring out her best features. When it came to having her makeup done, Rei never looked her best.

"Well, Aino-san, I'm very impressed," Rei said as she leaned back into the chair and continued to look at her reflection, "I've had my makeup done quite a number of times, but no one has ever gotten it right until now."

"Like I said, I aim to please," Minako smiled. She leaned forward from behind Rei, bringing her lips close to Rei's ear.

"I shouldn't be saying this because of my profession," she whispered, "But, if you ask me, you don't need it. I think your pretty _without_ any makeup on."

"Is that one of your 'lines', Aino-san?," Rei teased seductively, watching Minako in the reflection of the mirror.

"Perhaps," Minako replied just as seductively, looking back at Rei through the mirror, "But if it's any consolation, you're the first person I've ever used it on."

"Does that mean you find me 'especially interesting'?," Rei asked.

Minako giggled softly, "I never said _that_ , Hino-san."

A delightful shiver went up Rei's spine as she felt Minako's warm breath tickling her neck, _Kami-sama, I could listen to her giggle for hours,_ she thought.

"I see," Rei replied mischievously, "Is it because you couldn't find any cherry-flavored lip gloss?"

Minako was taken aback. Her eyes widened and she immediately straightened. It was Rei's turn to giggle at Minako's reaction and she gracefully stood up from the chair and walked around it to stand face-to-face with the makeup artist. She lifted her hand and flicked her long, black mane behind her shoulder before bringing a finger to her chin, pretending to be deep in thought, "If someone as uninteresting as myself could make you…How did you put it?...Want to nibble cherry-flavored lip gloss off my enticing lips, was it?...Then I'm curious to know what you would do to someone you _did_ find 'especially interesting'."

Minako could only stare back with a mixture of awe, surprise, and disbelief, _How…How did she know?_

"I was born with a gift," Rei explained, answering Minako's unspoken question, "I can naturally sense people's auras and get a feel for their emotions. Sometimes, if I focus enough on someone, I can read their thoughts. I don't often do it because, one, I understand better than anyone the value of privacy and, two, it does take some energy on my part to do it."

She took a step towards the smaller woman until they were only inches apart. She brought her hand up and gently brushed Minako's bangs out of her eyes. Minako blushed slightly at the contact as she continued to stare into Rei's amethyst eyes with wonder,

"But, with close proximity or direct contact, it's much easier for me to tap into someone's aura," Rei smiled as her fingers traced lightly down Minako's cheek to her jawline, down the side of her neck, her hand coming to rest on her shoulder. Minako felt a spark inside her from the touch and was finding it a little difficult to breathe, which didn't go unnoticed by Rei, who watched her aura flare slightly and sensed a growing excitement coming from the smaller woman. Rei leaned in closer, bringing her lips to Minako's ear, brushing her cheek lightly against Minako's in the process.

"So," Rei whispered softly, "What's your verdict, Aino-san?"

A smile crept up on Minako's lips, "You…fascinate me…Hino-san," she replied breathlessly.

"I'm glad," Rei whispered as she stepped back, "It's getting late, Aino-san. I should really be going."

Minako glanced at the clock above her station, _Wow, 10:00pm already?_ She sighed disappointedly, wishing she could spend more time with the alluring, raven-haired woman.

"I don't want to keep you," Rei said with concern, "But I _would_ like to buy the products you used as well as some other items if that's ok?"

"S-Sure, of course," Minako replied, composing herself, "I can help you find the items I used along with the other things you were looking for."

"Sounds good," Rei replied with a smile. Minako led the way through the product aisles as Rei listed the few items she was looking for. Once complete with their search, Minako led Rei to the register, rang up her purchase, providing the promised discount of course, and bagged her items.

When Rei pulled out a credit card from her wallet and handed it to Minako to purchase her items, Minako purposefully brushed Rei's hand with her fingertips as she grabbed it from her, causing the taller woman to blush slightly.

"Can I see your I.D. also?," Minako asked innocently. Rei smirked and pulled out her driver's license from her wallet and handed it to Minako who, again, brushed her fingers gently across the back of Rei's hand as she took the item. Rei chuckled softly to herself at Minako's subtle flirting.

Minako examined the I.D. with the credit card, _Wow, she lives there!?, s_ he thought, recognizing the address of The Incendia, _I've always wanted to see what that place looked like on the inside! I wonder what exactly she does in the sports industry._

She ran the credit card and returned it with the I.D. to the enchanting woman, who smiled slyly and mirrored Minako's maneuver by brushing her fingers along the back of Minako's hand, making Minako smile softly.

Both women couldn't deny the chemistry between them. They stared into each other's eyes as if searching for answers to explain the palpable attraction.

 ** _Brr...Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!_**

The moment was interrupted by the electronic sound of the credit card machine printing out Rei's receipt and copy. Minako reluctantly broke her gaze from Rei's magnetic, lavender eyes to tear the receipt and its copy from the machine. She laid both small pieces of paper on the counter with a pen in front of Rei, who bent over the counter to sign the receipt. When she finished, she straightened and stuff the copy, her card, and I.D. into her wallet. She gracefully grabbed her purchase from the table.

"Thanks for coming," Minako said with a hint of disappointment, "Maybe I'll see you around?," she said hopefully.

"I hope so," Rei replied with a wink, "Maybe next time you'll have some of that cherry-flavored lip gloss," she teased.

Minako blushed and smiled sheepishly. She found herself blushing even more as she watched Rei reach for her hand, which was resting on the counter, and bring it to her lips to place a gentle kiss on the back of her fingers. Rei gently released Minako's hand and looked up into her sapphire eyes, "I had a lovely time. Have a good night, Aino-san."

"Mmn, good night…Hino-san," Minako whispered as she caressed the hand Rei kissed with her other hand. With that, Rei turned and gracefully walked out of the store.

 ** _Jingle Jingle!_**

Once Minako heard the door chime, she allowed herself to collapse into a chair, fanning herself with her hand.

"Wow, that was intense!," Minako said out loud. She smiled, "That was _way_ more fun that I thought it would be! What a great way to end the week!"

A thought came to her and she suddenly snapped her fingers and let out a disappointed groan, "Ah, damn it!" Minako was so taken by Rei's sweet action that she had completely forgotten she wanted to ask for Rei's number or at least give the beautiful woman her own,

"Well...too late now," She sighed to herself. She shook her head, "Ok, I guess it's time to get the stuff I was missing for tomorrow and close up. At least it's a good thing I finished most of the cleaning before she came in."

She found the broom where she left it near the blushes and quickly finished sweeping the store while picking up the items she needed. She returned to the register to put away the receipt Rei signed and ring herself up. When she picked up the receipt, she did a double-take. Below Rei's elegant signature was…a phone number! Minako smiled widely as she pulled out her cellphone and typed out the number, saving it to her contacts.

"'Hino Rei', huh?," Minako said as she looked at the beautiful signature. She grabbed a pen and quickly scratched out the number so that it was illegible to others. After all, Rei mentioned she liked her privacy, right? Putting the receipt away with the rest of the day's receipts, she quickly rang up her purchases and made a mental note to call the beautiful woman the day after tomorrow.

Once she was done, she went to her locker to retrieve her purse. When she opened her locker, she immediately got a radical and bold idea, _Maybe I_ _don't_ _have to wait until Sunday to call her!_

She giggled to herself as she collected her things, turned off the lights, locked the front door, and headed to her white Subaru Impreza hatchback. She quickly texted Karin to let her know she was leaving the store, started the car, and zoomed off into the night.

* * *

 **Author Note:** One reviewer commented on my extensive use of certain Japanese words in the characters' speech being jarring to read. After thinking about it for a bit, I can see how that could come across so I've edited the previous chapters to get rid of most of them for consistency. There are a couple words I kept because I think it evokes what I want to convey, but for the most part you'll see them more sparingly. I really want this story to be good so I appreciate the feedback!

Another reviewer asked me what 'mataku' means so I've added small translations of words that I kept in the story so far and how I'm using them. As the story progresses, I'll continue to add these into the A/Ns:

 **Mou** = [Japanese] An expression of frustration or indignation. Almost like "Geez!" but not exactly.

 **Mataku** = [Japanese] An expression of annoyance, hopeless exasperation, or irritated disbelief. Almost like "Good grief!", "For crying out loud!", or "Honestly!" but not exactly.

 **Ittekimasu** = [Japanese] "I'm leaving" or "I'm heading out and will be back"

 **Tadaima** = [Japanese] "I'm back" or "I'm home"

 **Oide** = [Japanese] "Come here" or "Come"

 **Yurusenai** = [Japanese] "Unforgivable". Chapter 1 is the only place you'll see this word. Seemed to fit the tone.

I should also mention that I might be using honorifics unconventionally and, most likely, incorrectly. They're only used in this story, or lack thereof, along with either first or last names, to signal how close relationships are between characters. So, in the realm of this story, how they're implemented is considered 'correct' and I hope you please forgive any 'mistakes' I'm sure you'll find when it comes to those! ;)

 **-neechan** = [Japanese] honorific, "older sister"

 **-san** = [Japanese] honorific, closely analogous to "Mr.", "Miss", "Mrs.", or "Ms."

 **-sama** = [Japanese] honorific, a more respectful version of '-san' to refer to someone of much higher-rank

 **-kun** = [Japanese] honorific, mostly used to refer to males but it's not a hard rule as it can be used for a close personal friend of any gender

 **-chan** = [Japanese] honorific, expresses endearment

 **Sempai or -sempai** = [Japanese] roughly translates to "mentor", "senior", or someone with more experience in an organization

Japanese honorifics. (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved August 11, 2013, from wiki/Japanese_honorifics

So, as usual, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 08/2013)


	5. Chapter 5

**Author Note:** In celebration of my three-day weekend, I've decided to post Chapter 5 and 6 this week!

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Haywood, D., Kear, J., Kelley, C., and Scott, H. (2009). _Need You Now_ [Recorded by Lady Antebellum]. On Need You Now [CD], Nashville, Tennessee: Capitol Records Nashville.

* * *

 **Chapter 5:**

"Tadaima," Rei called out to her empty condo with a little more energy than usual. Though she was exhausted from her day's activities, she couldn't stop smiling ever since she left Kirei, "Well, _that_ was an interesting turn of events," she giggled to herself.

Usually reserved with strangers, she surprised herself by how bold she was with the gorgeous makeup artist. She began wondering if she had perhaps focused _too_ much of her energy on Haruka earlier that day and absorbed some of her flirtatious charm, _I really need to remember to thank Haruka tomorrow for making me go to the tailor shop!_

She removed her shoes neatly next to the door and brought Haruka's outfit and her purchase from Kirei into her bedroom. She hung Haruka's garment bag carefully on a hook behind the bedroom door next to her own outfit, which was in its own garment bag. Turning to her suitcase, she quickly packed the makeup products she purchased and placed her suitcase next to the bedroom door, ready for her trip tomorrow.

Once complete with these tasks, she changed into her pajamas, which consisted of a red t-shirt and black satin pants, and began getting ready for bed.

 _It's too bad,_ Rei thought as she wiped the makeup off her face in the bathroom, _She actually did a really great job._ She smiled when she remembered kissing the blond woman's hand and seeing her blush, _I_ _really_ _hope she calls me!_

She paused at that thought, _Oh! That reminds me, I should call Grandpa to see if I can go visit soon!_

She quickly finished removing the makeup and went to her nightstand where her cellphone was plugged in. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she grabbed her cellphone and flipped it open. She bit her lip nervously, _I hope it's not too late to call._

She pressed a few keys before bringing the phone up to her ear.

 ** _Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…_**

Rei shuffled back on the bed so she could pull her knees to her chest as she listened to the ringback tone on her cellphone.

 ** _Brrrrrrrp…Click!_**

"Hello?," a raspy and kind voice answered the phone. Rei's eyes brightened immediately at the sound and she smiled widely,

"Hi, Grandpa," Rei replied warmly, "Sorry for calling so late. Did I wake you?"

"Of course not, my dear Reiko," her grandpa replied with a chuckle, "I had a sense earlier today that you would be calling around this time so I was waiting for you."

"Of course," Rei smirked as she rolled her eyes, feeling absurd for her earlier nervousness of possibly disturbing her grandpa. Though Rei's abilities were far beyond her mother's and her grandpa's, he was _still_ the one who trained her after all, "That was silly of me to ask."

"So, what can I do for my beloved granddaughter that she couldn't wait to call me this late at night?," her grandpa asked teasingly in a kind manner.

"Well, I was able to get some time off," Rei replied cheerfully, brushing off her grandpa's teasing, "And I was wondering if I could come visit you sometime this coming week? I really miss you and I miss being home."

Silence followed Rei's words from the other line. Rei immediately turned to concern, "H-Hello? Grandpa? Are you still there?"

"O-Oh!," her grandpa replied with slight surprise, "My apologies, dear Reiko, I thought you were going to continue."

"Oh," Rei replied with slight bewilderment, "No, that was it, Grandpa."

"…Are you _sure_ , Reiko?," her grandpa asked, a mischievous tone underlying his question.

Rei suddenly began to feel her face flush, _Kami-sama! If he knew I was going to call tonight, does that…does that mean he also knows about Ain-_

"How about the twins?," her grandpa asked innocently, interrupting Rei's thoughts, "They've been coming by every day looking for you. Don't you miss them too?"

"O-Oh," Rei replied as she registered her grandpa's comment. She released a subtle breath of relief before clearing her throat, "Y-Yes. Yes, of course, I miss them, Grandpa. How are they?"

"They're doing very well, granddaughter," her grandpa replied, a smile evident in his voice, "They're such sweet girls. They usually come by in the morning to help me clean up the place before we open."

"Good, I'm happy to hear that," Rei replied with a smile as she imagined the twins helping out around the shrine, "Tell them I can't wait to see them."

"I will, my dear," her grandpa said, "So, next week you said?," he replied, returning to their previous conversation, "Hmm…Next week…doesn't seem to be…so convenient. Perhaps another time?"

Rei was taken aback. Usually her grandpa was more than happy to have her come visit whenever she pleased, but raised her to have the etiquette of at least calling to let him know she was coming. It was odd to hear him decline or delay a visit.

"Would that be ok, Reiko?," her grandpa asked, snapping Rei out of her puzzlement.

"Oh! U-Umm...sure. Yeah, sure, Grandpa. No problem," Rei replied quickly, "Hey, Grandpa. Is…Is everything ok?," she asked with concern and a hint of suspicion.

"Of course, Reiko," her grandpa replied reassuringly with a cheerful tone, "Everything is as it should be," Rei raised an eyebrow at her grandpa's peculiar choice of words, "I shall check my schedule and give you a call once I have a better idea, ok?"

"M-Mmn. Ok, Grandpa" Rei replied. She shrugged and decided to let her suspicions go. She smiled warmly, "I'm really looking forward to seeing you again."

"Me too, my dear," her grandpa replied lovingly, "Sleep well, Reiko. I love you very much."

"Mmn, I love you, too," Rei replied, "Good night, Grandpa." She was about to bring the phone away from her ear and hang up when-

"Oh, and Reiko?," her grandpa said suddenly.

"Y-Yes, Grandpa?," Rei replied quickly with concern, bringing the phone back to her ear.

"I might need some help around the shrine while you visit so feel free to invite a close friend to come with you to help if you'd like, ok? Good night!," Her grandpa said quickly with a hint of mischief. She heard him chuckle before the line went dead.

Rei pulled the device away from her ear and stared at it as if it were some foreign object she'd never seen before, _What the hell was_ _that_ _all about?_

She shook her head and closed her cellphone, _Mataku, sometimes Grandpa can be_ _so_ _weird!_

* * *

Minako parked her car in a designated guest-parking spot and walked through the large, sliding-glass doors of The Incendia. If she thought the outside of the complex was extravagant, she was blown away by the inside.

The foyer had a clean, off-white colored wallpaper with a subtle, delicate, metallic-gold pattern that only revealed itself as one walked by and the light danced along its details. Circular in shape, the expansive room was floored with polished travertine. A wide strip of red carpet bisected the lobby length-wise and width-wise, forming a cross on the floor. In the middle of the red cross was a very large, round table made of dark wood, topped with black marble. A tall vase full of fresh, white Calla lilies stood in the center of the table. Above the table was a large, elegant Victorian chandelier that glowed brightly, illuminating the lobby.

The four areas of the travertine floor that were not covered with carpet each had an overstuffed, leather couch, two matching club chairs, and a low coffee table that was of the same design as the round table in the center of the room.

Minako's mouth was open in awe as her azure eyes took in the splendor of the extravagant foyer. She walked slowly towards the center of the lobby, following the red carpet, to the circular table in the center of the room. As she slowly walked around the table, she noticed the red carpeting behind it continued up a short set of travertine stairs and through a wide archway that led to a smaller, adjacent room and ended at the foot of an ornate elevator with gold doors.

She walked up the stairs into the smaller room and found gold, cluster-style mailboxes, lining both the left and right walls of the room. She quickly scanned them until she found what she was looking for: On the left wall, on one of the lower-right mailboxes closest to the elevator, the name 'Hino' was neatly printed on it with the number 859.

 _Wow, the top floor!?,_ Minako thought, guessing correctly the first number stood for the floor and the last two stood for the condo number. Minako smiled as she pressed the call button for the elevator.

* * *

 ** _\- It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now. And I said I wouldn't call, but I'm a little drunk and I need you now. And I don't know how I can do without, I just need you now. -_**

Rei's online radio station was streaming softly overhead as she sat in bed with her bottom-half under the blankets while her upper-half was leaned against her plush pillows. She liked having music on as background noise to keep herself company in her quiet condo.

But, right now, Rei had her eyes trained intently on the pages of a manga and was heavily engrossed in the story. After the odd conversation with her grandpa, Rei decided to take her mind off of it by reading for a bit to relax before going to sleep. Instead, she got completely caught up in the story.

Just as she was about to turn the page...she felt something. Lifting her intense eyes from her manga, she narrowed them slightly, _Someone's headed this way._

Though she had exhausted most of her energy on the day's events, she set the book down in her lap and closed her eyes, reached out to examine the approaching person's aura to see if she might be in any danger. After all, she'd already given her security detail time off and was on her own until Sunday. If she needed to contact Nobuo for help, she would need as much time as possible to do so.

With what little energy she had left, she sensed the presence walk down the hallway from the elevator and head towards her door. As the presence neared her front door, she finally began picking up a familiar aura signature. Her eyes shot open and adrenaline began coursing through her veins as only one thought entered her mind, _Holy shit!_

She quickly flung a drawer open on her nightstand and threw her manga into it. She fumbled with the white remote and pressed a button, abruptly ending the music, and threw it into the drawer with her manga and slammed it shut loudly. Scrambling out of bed and on to her feet, she hastily approached her front door.

Once there, she paused for a second to take a deep breath and calm her nerves. Tentatively, she opened the door and found a surprised, blonde woman on the other side with her fist raised in the air as if about to knock on the door.

"A-Aino-san!," Rei exclaimed with surprise a little louder that she meant to.

Minako was surprised at first to see the door open before she was able to knock. But when she was met with Rei's lavender eyes, she froze, mesmerized by the woman's gaze, her heartbeat doubling in pace.

"Aino-san? A-Are you ok?," Rei asked. Minako blinked and shook her head slightly.

"Y-Yeah…Sorry!," Minako said as she tried to compose herself, "I'm fine. Ummm…Sorry, I…I wanted to say...thank you…for making my last day…memorable."

"'Last day'?," Rei repeated in a confused tone, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, today was my last day as head makeup artist," Minako explained sheepishly, "I got promoted earlier today and I'll be one of the managers of the store starting Monday."

She held up the velvet pouch for Rei to see, "All of my friends are busy tonight and I really wanted to celebrate. I know it's late, and…and I know it might sound silly, but…but since you were my last customer, I wanted to see if you'd…celebrate with me?"

Rei eyed the pouch and Minako blankly, taking in the information. A smirk slowly played across her lips, "I guess I can stay up for a bit. I don't have anything to do in the morning." She opened the door wider as a signal for Minako to come in.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Yes, a small chapter, I know.

I'm not sure if you can tell by now, but I have a tendency to be detail-oriented. I also like when things have meaning or purpose. So, on that note...

 _Fun Fact:_ Hold your hands out on front of you with your finger's spread (go ahead, try it!). If you count off the alphabet on your fingers, starting from left to right, you'll find that you'll cover the letters A through J of the alphabet, with the first finger on the left being A and the tenth finger on the right being J. If you count off again from left to right, but this time starting with the next letter, K, you'll find that you'll cover the letters K through T, with the first finger on the left being K and the tenth finger on the right being T, etc. Use this to try and decode why Rei's condo is numbered that way. =D

You'll see this happen a couple times in the story where I have to come up with random numbers for things. I wonder how many of you will figure them out? ^_^

PS - This is a really good trick to use when you need to make up a numeric lock combination. ^_^

Anyways, onward to Chapter 6 and constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 09/2013)


	6. Chapter 6

**Author Note:** And here is Chapter 6!

 **Ecchi** = [Japanese] A slang for "dirty" or "naughty"

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 6:**

Once inside, Minako took off her shoes and placed them to the side while Rei closed and locked the door.

"So, do you make it a habit of memorizing clients' addresses, Aino-san?," Rei asked with a teasing smirk.

"Please, I'm not at work anymore. Call me Minako," Minako replied, "And, no, this is a first for me so you should feel very special, Hino-san," she added coyly with a wink.

"Rei, please," Rei said as she approached the intriguing blonde, "And, yes, I _do_ feel special. It's definitely a pleasant surprise."

"Not much of a surprise if you knew I was coming," Minako said sarcastically with a playful tone.

"Well, usually towards the end of the day, my ability to focus or control my senses weakens," Rei explained, "I felt a presence coming but I wasn't able to pick up that it was you until you were near my door."

"That's still pretty impressive, Rei-chan," Minako complemented matter-of-factly as she held up the velvet pouch to Rei.

 _Rei…chan?,_ Rei noted to herself with a raised eyebrow. In all her 22 years, no one has ever referred to her with _that_ honorific before. But she found herself quickly taking a liking to it since it was coming from the gorgeous blonde. She shrugged and took the velvet pouch Minako offered and pulled out the bottle.

"It was a gift from a friend," Minako explained, "I've never had it before, but I heard it's good."

"It is. Your friend has good taste," Rei said, examining the bottle in her hands, "It's actually one of my favorites also. I'll put it in the freezer so it can chill and we can enjoy it in a bit. Please, come in."

Minako followed Rei into the living room and was pleasantly surprised to find Rei's place simple and modest, save a huge television over her fireplace that seemed oddly out of place while, simultaneously, fitting right in. She leaned against the breakfast bar of the kitchen while Rei went to the fridge and put the bottle in the freezer. Minako admired the raven-haired woman from behind and the way she moved her body so smoothly and elegantly. Minako continued to study her as Rei shuffled to the left and pulled out two, ceramic sake cups from a cabinet.

"So," Minako said once Rei had turned around and set the cups out on the breakfast bar in preparation, "Can you show me around?"

"Ummm...sure," Rei said hesitantly, "I mean, there's not really much to show. This is the kitchen and...behind you is the living room," she then gestured to her left and followed the room along the wall, clockwise, as Minako followed her explanations and looked around the condo from where she stood, "That's the dining room...balcony...that door to the right of the fireplace is my bedroom...guest bathroom...my office...and the door in the entry-way near the front door is the laundry room."

"You have a really nice place," Minako nodded once Rei finished. Returning her inviting, cobalt gaze to the taller woman, she said in a low, suggestive tone, "Would you mind…showing me your bedroom? I'd _really_ like to see it."

Rei's eyes widened slightly and her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as her heart began racing nervously. Being a private person by nature, and partially due to her career, not only was this the first time she allowed anyone other than those she considered family into her place, it was the first time anyone she found _remotely attractive_ was in her place, _And she's asking to see my bedroom!? Shit! What the fuck do I do!?_

Minako, seeing the slight panic in Rei's eyes, let out a small, melodic giggle, "Don't worry so much, Rei-chan!," she teased, "I just want to see your place, that's all. What were _you_ thinking, ecchi?"

Rei, realizing she was again the butt of Minako's teasing, was relieved and subtly released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She quickly recovered and, feigning annoyance, flicked her hair behind her shoulder with her hand and began marching confidently towards her bedroom, "Whatever. It's just a bedroom. Nothing special."

Minako giggled at Rei's attempt to act nonchalant and found it to be absolutely adorable. She quickly followed the beautiful woman for the bedroom tour.

* * *

Given the décor of the rest of the condo, Minako was surprised to see the massive, four-poster bed in the bedroom, _I don't remember seeing anything other than women's shoes near the_ _door_ , she thought to herself, _Hmm...I wonder…_

"Wow, your bed is huge! It looks so comfy," she said cheerfully as she quickly left Rei's side and walked over to sit down casually on the edge of the bed, "It's really soft, too!," she said as she looked towards Rei, who had crossed her arms and was calmly leaning against the doorway. Though her exterior was calm, Minako could see a hint of nervousness in her intense, amethyst eyes that were trained on Minako warily,

"So, would your boyfriend be upset that another girl was in your bed, or would he be into that?," Minako asked teasingly.

Rei rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Though men are generally tolerable, I find them to be _highly_ irritating."

"I see," Minako replied as she giggled at Rei's reaction. She smiled inwardly, _Well, at least I can cross 'boyfriend' off the list! But such hostility! I wonder if she had a bad breakup with some jerk recently._

"Ok then, how about your girlfriend?," she continued to tease playfully, "She'd probably throw a fit knowing you let a gorgeous blonde into your bedroom, huh?"

At this, Rei blushed slightly and suddenly found the floor interesting to look at.

 _Oh no,_ Minako thought as her heart sank. Though she was known for shamelessly flirting and enjoyed the company of men and women alike, she _did_ have moral standards and being 'the other woman' or a 'home-wrecker' was definitely _not_ one of them. She sighed disappointedly, _Of course she'd have a girlfriend. How would anyone as beautiful as her not?_

She stood up, intending to apologize to Rei for coming over and say she should be heading home.

"I-I…," Rei managed to utter through her embarrassment as she continued to look at the floor, catching Minako's attention, "I don't…I don't have a girlfriend."

"…O-Oh?," Minako attempted to go for 'surprised' since she was having a hard time hiding her elation over this new piece of information, _Sweet! Game on!_

Regaining her confidence, Minako softly cleared her throat and composed herself. She sauntered towards Rei and placed a finger below her chin, tilting her head up until their eyes met, "I find that really hard to believe, Rei-chan."

Rei could only stare into the oceans of sapphire that were only inches from her, almost hypnotized by their beauty, until a realization came to her. Was it just her imagination or was Minako…moving closer? Her eyes widened ever so slightly as Minako slowly tilted her head to the side, her eyes slowly closing as she moved closer. Rei's heart began pounding in her ears and her breath became shallow.

At the last second, Minako avoided Rei's lips and, instead, went to her ear, "I think the sake's ready now," she whispered. She giggled softly as she stepped back from the flushed, taller woman.

After a few seconds, Rei caught her breath and smirked as she shook her head, "You are _such_ a tease," she said to the blonde who was still giggling to herself.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Rei-chan," Minako said innocently as she stuck her tongue out playfully at Rei, "But if I _was_ teasing you, I think it would be really fun. You're really cute when you blush."

"M-Mou, Minako!," Rei couldn't help but whine with slight exasperation. She knew people called her many things: attractive, cold to most, graceful, athletic _…But cute!?_ Rei huffed at Minako's teasing and turned to head towards the kitchen, _Mataku, this woman! We just met and she already knows how to push my buttons!_

Rei smiled slightly to herself though, unable to deny that she was actually enjoying the gorgeous blonde's company and not just her looks.

A pair of arms gently wrapped around Rei's midsection from behind. Rei hesitated as she felt the smaller woman press up against her back in a soft embrace, resting her head on her shoulder. Rei could only stare distantly forward, eyes wide and glazed over as Minako's intense orange-gold aura coursed through her with a soft warmth of...Honesty? Sincerity? She was becoming lost in the warm emotions that were being emitted from Minako's heart.

 _It…It almost feels like_ _her_ _warmth_ , Rei absently thought to herself before falling into it, surrendering to its intensity.

Minako smiled as she noted that Rei didn't use an honorific on her name. She had always had an honorific attached to her name, no matter how close the person was to her. Even her sister, her _twin_ sister, called her 'Mina-chan' their 21 years together. She found herself liking the sound of her full name, free from social regulations, especially coming from Rei's smooth voice.

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan," Minako said kindly, "I didn't mean to make you upset. I know I sometimes have a tendency to tease too hard. But I really mean it, you're cute when you blush. It makes you seem…human. I mean, what I'm trying to say is you're so beautiful that it's almost unreal. I…I kind of like seeing that side of you."

It was Minako's turn to blush slightly. Her usual m.o. was teasing and flirting and usually never shared her feelings so honestly and openly unless it was with those closest to her like her sister or Karin.

 _Huh...I wonder where_ _that_ _came from,_ she causally though to herself. Though she was slightly perplexed by her actions, it felt…right…so very right. As she embraced the taller woman, she noted how their bodies fit together so perfectly, almost as if they were made for each other. They stayed that way for a little bit until Minako felt something wet hit her arm.

"Rei-chan?," Minako asked. She quickly released the taller woman who stumbled forward as if just catching herself from tripping.

"Rei-chan! Are you ok?," Minako asked with worry. She quickly grabbed Rei's shoulder to help steady her and felt the taller woman stiffen. She stepped around to look at Rei and was surprised to find a wet trail leading from one of Rei's violet eyes down her cheek.

"Rei-chan! What's wrong!? Did I-," Minako was silenced by a finger Rei brought up to rest lightly on her lips.

Minako was shocked when she finally took in Rei's appearance. Her eyes were dull and slightly glazed as she looked blankly at the smaller woman. But even then, Minako could see something deep within them. It was almost as if Rei was struggling somehow to fight the haziness from her eyes.

Rei slowly brought up her free hand and rested it on the hand Minako had placed on her shoulder. Gently, Rei slid Minako's hand off her shoulder. Almost immediately after Minako's hand was removed, Rei closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She shook her head slightly and opened her eyes again to look at the blonde. The haziness had disappeared and her eyes returned to their intense, amethyst color. A soft smile pulled at the corner of Rei's lips as she slowly allowed her finger to fall from Minako's lips.

"What…What happened?," Minako whispered with concern.

"You," Rei said softly, "You…happened to me."

Minako looked at Rei with a mix of worry and confusion as Rei took a breath and let it out slowly. A small chuckle followed as Rei brought her hand up to wipe the wetness from her cheek and rub her eyes, "Wow...that was like a perfect storm of coincidences," she said mostly to herself.

"Rei-chan?," Minako said cautiously, "I don't understand."

"Sorry," Rei replied, "Ummm...Remember how I told you that close proximity or direct contact allows me to tap into someone's aura easily?," Minako nodded, recalling the conversation they had at Kirei.

"Well, when it comes to direct contact," Rei continued, "The wider the area of contact, the more intense the connection is between me and someone's aura. Usually I can still function while it's happening and I still have my own thoughts and emotions, but I also end up experiencing the emotions of the other person in addition to my own. Sometimes it can get really overwhelming and draining for me. When it comes to new people I just meet, their aura's are _especially_ strong for me and I need time to adjust to them. Because of that, I don't usually allow others to get that close to me. I mean, a hand resting on my shoulder or something like that at first is ok while I adjust to someone new."

Rei blinked a few times once she was finished rubbing her eyes and looked up as if deep in thought, "How do I explain it? It's almost like…trying to get into a steaming hot tub. If you just jump in, you could burn yourself. But if you slowly get in, you body can adjust to the temperature."

Her gaze returned to the smaller woman and she smiled softly, "So, because you hugged me and we just met, the connection was intense from the start. And it just so happens that your aura is… _especially_ intense. On top of that, because it's late, I couldn't really control myself. So, while you were hugging me, I couldn't help but…fall into you, so to speak, and I got…caught up in you."

She averted her gaze to the floor and scratched her cheek absently, "When you let go and put your hand on my shoulder after that, the connection was still intense enough that even _that_ was overwhelming. So, I had to break it to come back to myself."

She smiled apologetically as she looked at Minako sheepishly, "I don't know if any of that made sense. But, anyway, I'm sorry for scaring you and brushing your hand away."

"N-No… _I'm_ the one who should be apologizing, Rei-chan," Minako said in a concerned tone, "I'm really sorry, I…I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't, Minako. How could you?," Rei said comfortingly, "Don't be sorry, please. I…I actually really _enjoyed_ feeling your aura. It was nice, just…intense."

 _Mesmerizing, actually. Like freefalling into warm sunlight,_ Rei thought fondly.

"But I…I hurt you...I made you cry," Minako said as she bit her lip and hung her head guiltily. She heard Rei take a deep breath and felt a hand gently caress her cheek. Minako's eyes widened and quickly looked up at Rei with concern. Rei's eyes were closed tightly, her brow was furrowed, and she was taking slow and deep breaths.

"Guilt…sadness…concern…fear," Rei whispering softly in between breaths. Minako was confused at first but then it quickly dawned on her: Rei was vocalizing _Minako's_ emotions, "Confusion…realization…," Minako's eyes softened as she watched the beautiful, raven-haired woman's face begin to calm and relax. She closed her eyes and leaned into Rei's touch, focusing on Rei's hand. Though Minako couldn't see it, a smile crept on Rei's face, "Understanding…compassion…kindness." Rei reluctantly let her hand drop slowly from Minako's face. Both women opened their eyes at the same time.

"Looks like you understand how it works," Rei said with a soft smile. She spoke slowly, trying to formulate words to explain herself, "Yes, I did tear up from our connection, but…they weren't tears of sadness. Actually, I was…touched by what you said…and what you were feeling. The tears just came on their own."

"Mmn," Minako said softly, "I think I get it now." She smiled sincerely, "You really _are_ fascinating, Rei-chan."

"I'm glad you think so," Rei replied with a hint of flirtation, "Because I find _you_ exquisitely intriguing. Come, let's continue in the kitchen. I'd like to get to know _you_ more…Minako."

"Mmn," Minako nodded. She followed Rei to the kitchen where Rei grabbed the now chilled bottle from the freezer and the two sake cups from the breakfast bar. The two women situated themselves at a corner of the dining room table, toasted, and began getting to know each other.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Another fairly small chapter.

This entire scene in Rei's condo is pretty long. Chapter 5 and 6 seemed to be easy, natural break-points for chapters even though it did end up making the chapters kind of small.

But, for now, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	7. Chapter 7

**Author Note:** Fairly sudden, but just found out I'll be out of town and won't be able to write that much this week or post a chapter for this coming week. So posting another chapter as a bonus to make up for the lack of one next week and buy some time for me to write some more once I get back.

 **Gūji** = [Japanese] Chief priest of a Shinto shrine

Job Titles at Most Shrines (High to Low). (2013). In _Becoming a Shintō Priest or Priestess: Titles-Roles of Men & Women Serving Shrines_. Retrieved September 2, 2013, from ... (type "how to become a shinto priest, onmarkproductions" into your search engine and it should be the first link)

 **Miko** = [Japanese] Shinto shrine maiden

Priest. (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved September 2, 2013, from wiki/Priest

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 7:**

Minako started by sharing that her father, who was Finnish, was where she got her blonde hair, blue eyes, and last name. But that was the extent of his involvement as he married her mother and left her shortly thereafter, pregnant with a set of twins.

"Men suck," Rei scoffed, "I wish _my_ father was out of my life." Her eyes widened when she realized what she just said, "S-Sorry! That was _really_ insensitive of me! I didn't mean-"

"No, no, it's ok," Minako replied reassuringly, waving her hands in front of her as if waving away Rei's concern, "I never knew him so it doesn't bother me that he wasn't there. I don't think I missed anything by not having a dad."

"M-Mmn," Rei replied. Her gaze fell to her hand which was on the table, fiddling aimlessly with her sake cup, "My…Mama…she passed away from an illness when I was four."

"Oh, wow," Minako replied sympathetically, "I'm so sorry."

"It's ok," Rei shrugged, "It was a long time ago…I still miss her though."

"Of course," Minako said comfortingly.

"I don't really remember her that much," Rei continued as if almost talking to herself or to the inanimate sake cup in her hand, "People tell me that I look like her, but with black hair since she was a blunette. But what I really remember about her was her aura. It was always so…loving...so warm. When she would hold me, it was like...I would _know_ everything would be ok."

She turned to look at Minako with musing, lavender eyes, "Her colors were so radiant."

Minako looked at Rei with confusion, "'Colors'? What do you mean?"

Rei chuckled and shook her head, pulling herself out of her musings, "Sorry, sometimes I forget that others can't see them. When I look at someone, I see their aura as a glow of light around their body and that's how I can read emotions. Everyone's aura gives off a different color that's unique to them. Grandpa always told me mine was a flame-red color so it's always been my favorite color since then. Mama's was always a golden-orange color."

"Wow," Minako said with intrigue, "That's really cool! So, when you look at me, what color is my aura?"

Rei smiled shyly as she looked into Minako's cerulean eyes, "Beautiful."

Minako blushed and averted her gaze, flattered by Rei's sincerity and honesty.

"Yours is…actually really similar to Mama's," Rei replied with a hint of surprise. She tilted her head slightly as she examined Minako's colors, "I've never met anyone that had a similar aura signature to her before. But yours is kind of more of an orange-gold color. It's really…comforting. "

Minako felt butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't help but become shy between the raven-haired woman's intense gaze and her honest words. She cleared her throat a little, "S-She sounds like a wonderful person."

"She was...from what I remember," Rei said. Both sat in silence for a few seconds, starting at their cups.

"My...Mom...died in a car accident during my second year of college," Minako said, breaking the silence. Rei's brought her empathetic gaze to Minako, who continued staring at her sake cup, "She always worked really hard, sometimes two to three jobs at a time to support Usa-neechan and me. Almost every day she was out working from 5:00am to sometimes 12:00am so Usa-neechan was kind of like my mom while I was growing up and we became really close."

She chuckled softly, "She's always fussing over me. Sometimes it's a little much, but I know it's because she loves me."

Minako sighed, "I knew that Mom loved us and worked so hard because she cared and wanted the best for us. But...sometimes it felt like we didn't even _have_ a mom. It was always just the two of us."

She shook her head and smiled softly, "But we made it work and we had lots of fun together. We always supported each other in anything we did. So when Mom passed away, Usa-neechan and I had to find jobs to cover college tuition and expenses. She was able to land a fairly good job and was supporting me for a while until I started working part-time at Kirei. After working there for the first week, I found I was really good and I really liked working there. So I changed my major to Marketing and Advertising and helped to promote the store. I also began doing cosmetology school at the same time as going to college and working so I could get promoted and not burden Usa-neechan. It was a lot of work, but I figured since my mom was able to work so hard, I could too, right?"

She brought her sapphire gaze up to look at Rei as she smiled widely, "A year later after I finished cosmetology school I was promoted to head makeup artist and given a full-time position so I could pay for my last year of college on my own. I was pretty stoked about that."

As Rei listened intently to Minako, she found herself admiring the gorgeous blonde. Her positive energy seemed to bring life and light to her lonely, dark condo, _She's gone through so much and yet she still has so much optimism in her aura. I want to see her smile like this all the time._

"And now look at me," Minako giggled, "'Morning Manager'...I still can't believe it. So even though I was really sad when Mom passed away, Usa-neechan always told me that things happen for a reason."

She blushed slightly, "I think if...if I didn't need to start working at Kirei…I might…I might not have ever met you."

It was Rei's turn to become shy. Minako was so sweet and had the purest heart of anyone she had ever known. She felt butterflies in her stomach under Minako's soft gaze.

"I-I see," Rei said as she cleared her throat a little, trying to compose herself, "S-So, where's your sister now?," she said, trying to change the subject.

"She lives here in Tokyo, but she travels a lot for work so I don't get to see her as much as I want. But we talk as often as we can," Minako replied. Even though Usagi was usually the mother-hen of the two, Minako was really protective of Usagi's privacy. She quickly changed the subject to avoid having Rei ask anything more about her sister, "How about you? Do you have any siblings?"

"No…well, kind of…," Rei began, "I was an only child, but my father had this college friend who later became a business colleague. He had an only child who's three years older than me. We practically grew up together and she's my best friends so I like to think of her as my older sister."

Rei paused as she thought about it and giggled, "Actually, I think she's more like an older brother than a sister. She's kind of a jock. Mama also had this high school friend who would come by all the time. She had an only child, too, who would hang out with me and my best friend pretty often. They're the same age. _She's_ more like an older sister."

"So what're they up to nowadays?," Minako asked with interest.

"They actually started dating in high school and have been together ever since," Rei replied with a smile, her gaze a little distant as she thought of Haruka and Michiru's journey, "My best friend's father passed away a few years ago so she took over his…business. She travels a lot for work, too, but we call each other all the time. My other friend, her partner, is…in the arts."

Rei kept it vague, not wanting to out the fact that her best friend was Tenoh Haruka, daughter of Tenoh Sho, the first Japanese race car driver to make it big internationally in the sport and that her partner was Kaioh Michiru, the world-renowned prodigy violinist and painter. She casually steered the conversation away from her famous friends,

"My best friend knows about my abilities, but her partner and my grandfather are the only ones who _really_ understand my abilities. When I was younger, I thought everyone was like me and could see and do what I could. Grandpa was the one who told me that I had a gift that was special to our family. He has it and so did Mama, but I guess mine is a lot stronger than theirs from what he's told me. He trained me while I was growing up to understand it, control it, and use it. Since then, I've mostly kept it to myself because the kids at school thought I was a freak and would call me 'strange' or 'weird' when I told them I had special abilities. Plus, because of the whole 'connection via proximity' thing, I just tended to…distance myself from people."

She looked at Minako shyly, "That is, until you."

Minako smiled and looked away bashfully as Rei chuckled to herself, "It feels kind of weird talking about it with someone other than my grandpa and my best friend and her partner."

Minako looked at Rei with concern as she smiled sincerely, "I really appreciate that you're sharing all this with me and I hope you know that I respect the fact you want to keep it secret. I don't think you're a freak at all. I actually think it's really cool. But I don't want you to force yourself or feel like you _have_ to tell me these things if you don't feel comfortable talking about it."

"No, no, it's fine," Rei said reassuringly, "It's nice being able to be myself and not hide it. Besides, I know I can trust you." Rei didn't want to mention that she sensed Minako's protectiveness for her sister and knew Minako was someone who could be trusted when it came to privacy.

"Do you mind if I ask about your grandfather?," Minako asked tentatively, "I never knew my grandparents, but you sound really close to him. Was he around a lot while you were growing up?"

"He raised me after my mother passed away," Rei replied, "He's the gūji at the Hikawa Shrine so I was raised as a miko out there. He practically saved my life. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have him."

"Whoa, really!? You were a miko!? I would have never guessed! That's so cool!" Minako exclaimed, she quickly blushed crimson, "S-Sorry about that," she said sheepishly regarding her outburst.

Rei chuckled amusingly in response, "I've never had _that_ reaction before. Most people just think it's odd."

"Can you do, like, readings and fortune-telling and stuff?," Minako asked with intrigue.

"Yeah, I can," Rei replied proudly, "Because of my abilities, I was pretty good at it. Fire is my specialty, but I haven't done any serious readings since high school. Grandpa also trained me in martial arts and…," Rei caught herself before she said 'archery'. If Minako hadn't recognized her up until now, she most definitely would have if Rei made that connection for her, "…and I really miss the simplicity of that lifestyle."

Rei's face fell as her eyes began to swirl with a mix of sadness and anger, "But…," she paused.

"'But'?," Minako probed gently, seeing the change in Rei's demeanor. Rei took a breath, trying to rein in her emotions,

"But my sorry excuse of a father had to have his way," Rei said in a low voice, "When Mama passed away, he was too busy working at his _precious_ company to even come back for the funeral or take care of his only daughter. That's the reason why my grandfather raised me. The only thing my father did was send checks once a month. He didn't even send a note, like I was some bill or obligation. I didn't want to have to depend on my father's stupid money or be a burden on Grandpa so when I entered high school I…got a job…to help support myself and I would send his checks back."

Rei didn't want to mention that the 'job' she got was doing archery competitions where she would use the prize money to support herself and pay for her private high school tuition so she could attend the same school her mother attended,

"I got into college on a sports scholarship that would help me pay for tuition," Rei continued, "I always dreamed of majoring in Religious Studies and, someday, taking over the shrine as head priestess. I saved enough money to pay for school supplies, books, and living expenses in the city to attend, but then Grandpa got really sick and had to be hospitalized for a while. The bills for that were...crushing. With that and the regular bills for the shrine, we ran out of money pretty quickly and were...drowning in debt. We were so close to losing the shrine. On top of that, Grandpa need at least half a year's worth of at-home care before he would be able to take care of himself again. So I…,"

Rei's hands balled into fists in her lap. Minako watched with a mix of concern and fear as Rei's eyes began tinting to an indigo color, "It was so... _humiliating_. There I was...in front of that loathsome man...asking for help. And, of course, in true, sleazy, businessman fashion, he wrote up a contract. A _fucking_ contract! For _his_ _own_ _daughter_! It guaranteed that he would pay for Grandpa's hospital bills, the bills for the shrine, the live-in nurse that he would need while he was recovering, everything. He would even take care of anything I would need to attend college. But, in exchange, he would own the shrine and I would have to do what he wanted or he would tear it down and sell the property. It stipulated that I would have to major in Business and do promotional work for the company during my time in college. He also added in there that all my personal finances and any money I would make from then on would be considered company finances, not my own, so I would be forced to depend on him and wouldn't try to cut him out of my life like I did before. And, after I graduate, I'm supposed to take over the family business to 'continue paying off my loan' for him saving the shrine and Grandpa."

Her eyes narrowed, her voice lowered to a dangerous tone, "I...nearly...lost it on him. The company that took him away, the one he chose over Mama, over me, I'd not only be _working_ for it, but eventually _running_ it! It...It made me sick!"

Hopelessness seemed to wash over Rei as she relaxed her hands from being balled tightly for so long. Her voice was nearly a whisper, "But...but I had no other choice. I needed the money...Grandpa needed care and I...I need to...save our home. So…I signed it."

Her eyes returned to their amethyst color and were filled with a haunting sadness as she stared into the distance at nothing in particular, "It was so weird at first. I was still doing school, practice, and competing like any normal college athlete but I was anything _but_ normal outside of that. I was introduced to a very different lifestyle having to promote the company and be part of the whole glitz and glam of it all, always being scrutinized, always having to be perfect. I had to adjust fairly quickly. Sometimes I feel like two different people, one who's worldly, sophisticated, and able to navigate the bougie scene and one who just wants to hide away from the world to live a simple, humble life. Most times I feel like a hypocrite."

She sighed, looking as though the weight of the world was on her shoulders, "At least I was able to negotiate an addendum to my contract that allowed for a short moratorium between when I graduate from college and when I start working full-time at the company…kind of like my 'last hurrah'. It actually starts this coming Sunday."

* * *

As Minako listened intently to the raven-haired woman, she began seeing who Rei really was: someone deeply loyal, strong, proud, but also extremely lonely. Her heart ached to hear how Rei had to face such adversity and had become a prisoner in so many ways, _Even after all that with her mother, her father, and her abilities, she can still be so kind and gentle, s_ he thought reflecting on their earlier interactions. She shuddered at the thought of where Rei would be if she didn't have the support and love of her friends and grandfather growing up.

 _And…she trusts me,_ Minako thought. She vowed in that moment to never betray the beautiful woman's trust.

After a short silence, Rei shook her head as if coming out of a daydream, "Wow! I just started word-vomiting all over, didn't I? I don't know where all that came from." She laughed nervously, "I'm so sorry for boring you with my life story. I'm sure you didn't want to hear about all that. I-mmm!"

Rei's eyes widened as she took a sharp intake of air through her nose, _Strawberries…,_ was all Rei could think as she registered the scent she took in. Everything happened so fast, she didn't have time to react or comprehend what was going on. Strong, warm, orange-golden emotions quickly flooded her senses…Protectiveness, Sincerity, Empathy…Rei was being pulled in and enveloped in it.

 _It feels so…safe. Everything's going to be okay,_ she thought as she closed her eyes and felt her anger, loneliness, and hurt melt away. She allowed herself to fall into the welcoming emotions.

* * *

 _Her lips are softer than I thought,_ Minako thought as she breathed in the raven-haired woman's vanilla scent. Listening to Rei's story and watching the pain and sadness in the agonizingly beautiful woman's amethyst eyes, she was overcome with a strong desire to protect her and save her from her loneliness. She couldn't help herself and ended up leaning in to softly kiss the raven-haired woman on the lips.

Rei hesitated at first but quickly returned the kiss. Minako began moving her lips against Rei's, gently exploring her taste. Rei returned the action in kind just as softly, enjoying the sensations.

When the kiss ended, both women let out a sigh of content. They opened their eyes at the same time and stared at each other.

 _My first kiss,_ Rei thought as she smiled softly at the gorgeous blonde, "Thank you…Minako."

"No, thank _you_ , Rei-chan," Minako whispered, "Thank you for trusting me."

Minako blinked and her eyes widened as if remembering something. She quickly jumped back, "Gods! I'm _so_ sorry, Rei-chan! I forgot about the whole 'close proximity' and 'touching' thing with your abilities! Are you okay!?"

Rei blinked blankly back at Minako a few times before she began to giggle, which turned into a wholehearted laugh. Minako, seeing Rei almost fall out of her chair from laughing, eventually joined in.

When their laughter began dying down, Rei was the first to speak, "Yeah, I'm fine, Minako." She glanced over at the kitchen, "Since we've been around each other for a few hours now, I've been able to adjust to your aura mostly, if not completely, already." She winked at the blonde, "The hug you gave me earlier didn't hurt in making that process go quicker also."

"A few hours!?," Minako practically yelled. She looked around and her eyes landed on the stove clock, "Wow, 1:00am already? Damn! Where did the time go?"

"I know, I didn't notice it myself until I looked at the clock just now," Rei replied, "But I _am_ enjoying your company and getting to know you. Since we haven't really touched the sake, it'd be a shame to let it go to waste since it's a pretty expensive brand. Do you want to keep going until we kill it?"

"Mmn, sure!" Minako replied enthusiastically. Rei poured them another round and they toasted again before shooting their sake.

* * *

"So," Rei said as she poured them another glass, "I told you about _my_ future plans, if you can call them that. How about you? Do you plan on staying at Kirei? You're really talented. Would you want to strike out on your own?"

"I…I don't know," Minako hesitated, "I mean…I like what I do and I thought about possibly starting my own line of products, but...I don't know. I still feel like a little kid pretending to be an adult. I want to enjoy being young and having fun, you know?"

Rei nodded, "Yeah, that's why I really pressed hard for my moratorium. I just wanted some time to relax and not do…anything. I just want to enjoy life, maybe travel, visit Grandpa, _something_ before I have to put on a power-suit and hate the rest of my life. At least I'm hoping to make some fun memories during this time to look back on while my soul's being eaten alive by the family business."

"Wow, so dramatic, Rei-chan," Minako teased, "I know it sucks, but you make it sound like this is your last meal or something."

"It kind of is," Rei huffed, trying to keep a serious face but couldn't help letting out a chuckle. It was so easy to talk to Minako, even about the not-so-pleasant parts of her life. She made it so easy for Rei to be herself.

Minako smiled, happy that she was able to keep Rei from slipping back into anger and sadness, _I wish I could make her smile and laugh like this all the time. I don't want her to ever feel sad or alone again._

"Oh, speaking of your work," Minako said as a realization came to her, "You never _did_ show me your office. Can I see it?"

"U-Ummm…," Rei began hesitantly. Even though she was becoming more comfortable around Minako and knew she was someone trustworthy, she was still afraid of how Minako would react once she put together who she really was, _If she sees my archery equipment and trophies, she'll probably freak out!_

"I…I like to keep my work private so…I hope you don't mind," Rei said apologetically.

Minako could tell Rei had been avoiding talking about the specifics of her work since they met. She wanted to respect her privacy but that didn't mean she wouldn't use this opportunity to her advantage. She lighten the mood the one way she knew how: teasing and flirting.

"I get it," Minako said with a sly grin as she giggled, "You're probably hiding some fantasy sex room in there with red walls, leather tie-ups, and whips or something. That's why you don't want me to see it because you think my innocent, little, blonde head would explode from fright, huh?"

Rei blinked at first, but quickly realized what Minako was doing and was grateful that the smaller woman took the hint and changed the subject. She smirked at Minako,

"Look who's ecchi now?," Rei quipped with a smirk, "What would _you_ know about that stuff, anyways?," she challenged playfully.

"I'll have you know, Rei-chan," Minako said seductively as she leaned in closer. Rei froze as the blonde closed the distance between them, stopping just inches from her, "Even though I'm blonde and have big, blue doe-eyes...don't underestimate me. I'm not as innocent as I look." She leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs provocatively as she shot her sake slowly, eying Rei behind hooded eyes.

Rei found herself breathless as she watched the blonde creature in front of her. Rei couldn't help but imagine her head to toe in black leather, holding chains. Surprisingly, the image seemed to fit her. Rei's intense gaze trailed from her sapphire eyes, down to her cheeks, down to her alluring lips which were parted slightly to allow a tongue to slowly drag from one corner to the other suggestively.

 _Fuck...she's_ _so_ _hot!, w_ as the only thought that came to Rei's mind.

* * *

Minako grinned triumphantly as she watched Rei's reaction to her antics. The beautiful, raven-haired woman's jaw had dropped and she was openly gaping.

"So, how much you getting paid to babysit that drink, Rei-chan?" Minako teased. Rei blinked and shut her mouth with an audible click. She shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. Accepting the challenge, she flicked her hair behind her shoulder and didn't take her eyes off Minako as she brought her cup to her lips and knocked back her sake expertly. She slammed the cup down and began filling her cup again.

"I'll have you know," Rei said confidently, "Even though I was raised as a miko in a shrine, I'm really good at drinking. My best friend taught me how to hold my liquor and is the only person who's ever out-drank me. Not even the soccer team from her high school could keep up with us when we played Century Club with them."

"Oh really?," Minako raised an eyebrow, "Well, isn't that a coincidence. It's an honor to finally meet another member of the club."

Rei narrowed her eyes slightly at Minako, "Huh, you really _are_ a member aren't you? I'm impressed."

"Hey!," Minako exclaimed with feigned annoyance, "Did you just use your abilities to see if I was lying!?"

"Maybe," Rei replied with a playful wink.

"Cheater!," Minako huffed, "So, then, how do _I_ know that _you're_ not lying and just talking big game?"

"Well, we could play with the rest of the bottle," Rei suggested, "We've both had three shots each so far. Beer usually has 4-5% ABV, right? This stuff has 18% so even though there's only enough for about 30 minutes, it'll definitely have the same effect if not more."

Minako thought for a bit and slid her glass towards Rei, "You're on."

* * *

 **Author Note:** I'm not too proud of this chapter. I don't think the writing in it is my best, probably because of how information-dense it is with such limited action/movement. Like I said, this scene in Rei's condo is long so bear with me!

I don't condone underage, unsafe alcohol-consumption practices. This is a fiction piece.

 _Fun Fact:_ Catch the subtle nod to Minako's senshi weapon? ;)

In case you're wondering, Aino is actually a female character from a Finnish epic poem called The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot. Seemed to work out well as part of Minako's back-story to explain her physical characteristics so I borrowed it for a bit. ^_^

Aino (mythology). (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved September 2, 2013, from wiki/Aino_%28mythology%29

Again, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	8. Chapter 8

**Author Note:** Hello, again! I've been away and haven't had much time to really sit and write, but I'm back and am really excited to continue this story. Thanks so much for the reviews!

A longer chapter this time. I actually wanted to break it up, but that would make for a _really_ small Chapter 9, which I didn't want to do. I hope you enjoy!

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 8:**

The two women continued to talk, laugh, and enjoy each other's company as they played their drinking game. With each passing minute, Minako continued to become more flirtatious as Rei volleyed back just as flirtatiously with her own witty banter.

Half an hour and one empty sake bottle later, Minako was giggling like a school girl, face pink from alcohol, while Rei looked perfectly fine and was giggling at Minako.

"You alright there?," Rei asked in between giggles. Even without her abilities, she could tell Minako was a little buzzed. Not _totally_ inebriated, but slightly buzzed.

"Yeah, I'm good! Totally fine!," Minako replied a little too enthusiastically, "How about you?"

"I'm great," Rei replied with a smirk, "Probably better than you."

"Whatever! I could _totally_ pass a sobriety test right now if I had to!," Minako exclaimed, trying to sound serious. Her continued giggling, though, didn't seem to help support her case or her attempt to sound convincing.

"And there it is," Rei teased, "The line every buzzed person has used since the beginning of time. I'm sure you'd sound _really_ convincing tell a cop how you feel 'sotally tober ociffer'."

"Oh, hush!," Minako giggled. She stood up abruptly, "I'll show you! See? Totally-Whoa!"

As she took her first step in an attempt to try and walk in a straight line to prove her point, she stumbled slightly. Thanks to her quick reflexes, Rei managed to stand and catch Minako in her arms before she fell to the floor.

"Mou, Minako!," Rei chided out of concern, "That was close, be careful!"

Minako giggled as she found her footing and leaned against Rei, "Sorry, Rei-chan," she wrapped her arms around Rei's neck as she rested her head against her shoulder, "It's a good thing you were here to save me. You're my hero."

Rei was about to roll her eyes at Minako's until she felt a sudden shift in Minako's bubbly aura, _What the…,_ Her amethyst eyes widened and her breath began to quicken. She looked down at Minako to find that the smaller woman was staring up at her. Her alluring lips were parted slightly and she was panting softly. Her hooded sapphire eyes sparked intently with something Rei couldn't quite make out. Her aura began to flare with an intensity Rei could barely stand.

"Rei-chan," Minako whispered, "I was wrong."

Rei swallowed and was having trouble finding her voice, "A-About what, Minako?," she whispered nervously.

Minako leaned in and gently brushed her lips against Rei's, sending electric shocks through the taller woman's system, "You don't need cherry lip-gloss," Minako whispered, "You taste good without it."

Orange-golden emotions were swirling rapidly inside of Rei, making her heart race, threatening to envelope Rei in its urgency. They were different from before, tinted with…Desire, Passion. Rei found herself stepping back, only to be met with the dining table, which she ended up leaning against to stabilize herself and keep from collapsing from the intensity of Minako's aura. She was having a hard time catching her breath.

Minako slid one of her hands from Rei's neck to caress the beautiful woman's cheek, stroking it with her thumb, "I find you very attractive…Rei-chan." She closed her eyes and brought their lips together in a heated kiss.

* * *

A moan came from the back of Rei's throat as she was taken over by the scent of strawberries and a sudden surge of emotions that erupted inside her. She couldn't tell anymore whether the burning desire she felt was her own or Minako's but, at the moment, she didn't care. She closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the smaller woman as she responded fervently to Minako's kiss.

Minako felt a throb deep inside of her as Rei moaned and kissed her back just as passionately. She deepened the kiss, stroking the pale woman's bottom lip with her tongue, requesting access. Rei parted her lips to allow Minako's tongue to caress her own while she also explored Minako's mouth, taking all of her in. Rei's hands began to roam Minako's back, desperately trying to bring the smaller woman closer while memorizing her slender body.

As the kiss became more heated, the hand Minako had on Rei's cheek slid to the back of her neck and grabbed a fistful of her silky, dark hair. Her other hand moved down Rei's body to wrap around and up her back. As she dragged her nails down between Rei's shoulder-blades over her t-shirt, Rei gasped into Minako's mouth and her back arched reflexively from the sensation, pushing their bodies closer together.

Desperate for air, both women pulled away breathlessly, but not before Minako captured Rei's lower lip between her teeth, causing a needy moan to escaped Rei's lips. Both women were breathing heavily, still holding onto each other with all they had.

Minako leaned her forehead against Rei's as both women tried to catch their breath, "Gods, Rei-chan…you're… _such_ a great kisser," Minako said in between breaths. With her hand still buried in Rei's hair, she gently tugged her head to the side and ducked to the opposite side to ravish Rei's neck with kisses and gentle bites.

"Aah," A sound that was a mix of a yelp of surprise and a moan of pleasure came from the taller woman in response to the new sensation caused by Minako's actions, which only encouraged Minako to continue her ministrations with added fervor. Rei's grip tightened around the smaller woman and she continued to moan as Minako trailed fervent kisses up her neck and nibbled her earlobe, breathing in her distinct vanilla scent.

"Fuck, your moans turn me on," Minako whispered as she continued nipping down Rei's jawline until she came to Rei's lips and moved in for another passionate kiss.

* * *

Rei was so lost in these new sensations she almost didn't notice that one of Minako's hands had found its way underneath her shirt and was gliding down her toned stomach towards the waistband of her pants. Rei flinched and her eyes immediately shot open. She quickly placed a hand on top of Minako's, stopping it from going any further. Her other hand went to Minako's shoulder and gently pushed her back, breaking the kiss.

"W-Wait...Minako…," Rei breathed.

Minako opened her eyes, still breathing heavily. Piercing sapphires began searching unsure amethyst eyes. Seeing the look of uncertainty, Minako quickly brought her hands up to cup Rei's face.

"What's wrong, Rei-chan?" Minako whispered.

Rei winced a little as she felt orange-golden pangs of hurt and concern being emitted from the smaller woman. She was fighting for focus inside of herself. Coherent thought was becoming exponentially difficult with Minako's desires, hurt, and confusion swirling inside of her, intermingled with her own desires and hesitations. She closed her eyes and took deep, meditative breaths to try and center herself and sort out the mix of emotions.

Once she felt some semblance of stability, she slowly opened her eyes and brought her hand up to caress Minako's cheek, softly stroking it with her thumb, "Minako, I like you...I really do. It's...it's just that I…I can't," Rei dropped her hand to grip the edge of the table behind her. She pulled away from Minako's touch and averted her gaze to the floor, "I've just…I've never..."

"You've never been with a woman before, have you," Minako said as she gently rested her hands on Rei's shoulders. It was more of a statement than a question, "It's ok, Rei-chan, I figured."

Rei's head shot up and she looked at Minako with surprise, "R-Really?" Her face began to flush with embarrassment, _Kami-sama, am I_ _really_ _that obvious?, "_ H-How did you know?"

"The way you said you didn't have a girlfriend when I asked you earlier," Minako replied softly. A gentle smile played across her lips, "You were so embarrassed, it was adorable." Rei began to feel the same protective, sincere warmth flow through her that she felt when they shared their first kiss earlier that evening. She closed her eyes and smiled softly as she brought her hand up from the table to take one of Minako's hands in her own and place it back on her cheek.

"I like this emotion," Rei sighed, leaning into Minako's touch, "I like it when you feel this way. It makes me feel so safe."

"It's because I care about you, Rei-chan," Minako replied sincerely, "You trusted me enough to share some of your secrets with me and I don't take things like that lightly. I'm not going to take advantage of your trust," she leaned in and placed a light kiss on Rei's forehead, "I'm not going to hurt you. I don't _want_ to hurt you."

As Rei opened her rare, violet eyes, she was met by Minako's caring, cobalt eyes, "It's ok, Rei-chan," Minako said reassuringly, "It's not that much different from being with a guy."

She paused and giggled, "Actually, I take that back, it's _way_ more fun than being with a guy. Don't worry, I'll show you."

She began leaning in to kiss Rei until she felt a feather-light touch of a finger on her lips, stopping her. Rei's other hand stayed on Minako's shoulder, keeping her from moving closer.

"It's…It's not just that, Minako…," Rei stammered. Her gaze had gone to look at the floor again, "I...I just...I can't..."

"…I see," Minako said sadly as she stepped away from Rei.

Rei reflexively let out a sigh of relief as Minako's aura released its hold on her. As she began to understand the jumble of emotions she was feeling while they were connected, she registered one she felt right as Minako stepped away...Heartbreak.

"I-I should...I should go," Minako whispered. She hung her head and looked down at the ground, her bangs masking her face, "I'm sorry for coming over like I did. I don't know what I was thinking."

Rei was taken aback. She watched as Minako's aura shifted to...Hurt? Embarrassment? She quickly stepped in front of the blonde before she could rush past her, "Wait, Minako, I'm sorry, I-" Rei began.

"No, Rei-chan, don't apologize," Minako said softly as she took a step back, "It was my fault. It's fine if you just wanted to be friends. I'm...I'm just really embarrassed, that's all. I was under the impression that we had a connection. I'm really sorry that I misread-"

"Minako, no," Rei quickly interrupted, "No, you didn't. We _did_ have a connection. I mean, we _do._ It's so magnetic, it's almost crazy. I mean, I just met you and I can't get enough of you. Everything about you is intoxicating. I really like you, I really do, it's just that-"

"Then is it because I'm not pretty enough for you?," Minako whispered, "I mean…you're stunningly beautiful, Rei-chan. You could have anyone you wanted. Is it...is it because I don't measure up?"

Rei's jaw dropping in shock. She was floored by Minako's words, "How...How can you even say that, Minako!? You're the most gorgeous person I've ever met! You took my breath away when I first saw you! It's just-"

"Then what, Rei-chan?," Minako said as she lifted her head to meet Rei's eyes. Tears were beginning to form in her breathtaking, azure eyes and threatened to stream down her cheeks. Rei's heart broke seeing Minako in so much pain, "Because I feel it too. I can't believe how much I like you and we just met. But if we have this connection, if you're attracted to me, and you know I'm attracted to you, then what are you afraid of?"

Rei winced at the last comment. It hit a little close to home. She _was_ afraid. An emotion the beautiful woman always had some trouble dealing with.

"I've…I've just never…," Rei managed to say but couldn't finish. Her face began to flush with embarrassment as she looked away.

"What, Rei-chan?," Minako probed gently. She searched Rei's face until it hit her like a ton of bricks. Her sapphire eyes grew wide with shock and she sobered up quickly. She took a step back and brought a hand up to her mouth.

"Oh my Gods," Minako gasped quietly, "Rei-chan…you're…a virgin?"

Rei's face turned a slightly darker shade of red, confirming Minako's question, "No way...I mean...wow, I just…I find it surprising. I mean, you're so beautiful. I…I thought you _at least_ had been with men before."

"Ugh!," Rei made a sound of disgust as she rolled her eyes. She turned so she was leaning against the dining table again, "I told you, I don't like men."

"Yeah, I know, but...when you said that, I thought maybe it was because you recently had a bad break-up with some guy or something," Minako explained, "I didn't get that you didn't like men _at all_."

"No, what I was _trying_ to say was that I can tolerate _being_ _around_ them if I _have_ to be. Like _interacting_ with them, not being... _with_ them." She wrinkled her nose in repulsion at the thought.

Shaking her head, she flipped her hair behind her shoulder and crossed her arms in front of her, "So...now you know," she said with a huff as if trying to make up for her embarrassment, "I've never _been_ with anyone before. I've never even _dated_ anyone before. In fact," her eyes returned to the floor, "You…you were my first kiss," she said shyly.

Rei could almost hear Minako's jaw drop, "What!? But…But you're such a good kisser!," Minako exclaimed.

"I was just reading your aura and following your lead," Rei shrugged as she looked sheepishly at Minako. She chuckled at the thought, "I guess my ability _does_ have some advantages other than fortune-telling. It was really fun reading you while I was trying to do what I wanted to also."

"Huh…wow…," was all Minako could say in her state of shock. She averted her gaze to the ground.

* * *

Both women sat in silence for a bit. Rei fidgeted anxiously as she watched Minako warily, who seemed to be deep in thought. Her aura emitted Shock, Disbelief and…Regret?

After a few seconds, Rei couldn't take the silence anymore. She dropped her arms and straightened from leaning against the table. Looking away, she began to speak nervously, "I…I totally understand if…if all of this is...too much for you and you decide...that you don't want to be with me. But I'm…I'm just not ready...for _that_ yet."

A pair of arms circled her neck as Minako embraced Rei, _Yep...definitely Regret,_ Rei thought as she felt Minako's aura. She braced herself for Minako to apologize out of regret for coming over and to say goodbye.

"I'm so sorry, Rei-chan," Minako said softly in her ear.

 _Here it comes_ , Rei thought. She held her breath as she waited for the inevitable.

"Gods, if I had known, I would have done things differently," Minako whispered.

 _Wait…what?,_ Rei thought to herself. She was perplexed as she began feeling a strong wave of guilt mixed in with the regret being emitting from the smaller woman. She couldn't help the tears that began to sting her eyes from the overwhelming emotions.

"I would have asked you out properly instead of just coming over like I did. I wouldn't have kissed you until you were ready and it was what you wanted," Rei began to feel Minako's body shake as the blonde started to cry, "I…I wouldn't have made passes at you and tried to sleep with you. I'm so sorry, Rei-chan, for cheating you out of your first kiss and forcing myself on you."

"Minako…," Rei whispered. She brought her arms up to warmly embrace the smaller woman. Though she knew Minako couldn't feel her aura, she put all of herself in the hug she gave to comfort the gorgeous blonde, trying to combat the sadness that was flowing from the smaller woman.

"Shhh, it's ok," Rei cooed as she stroked her silky blonde hair, "Minako, don't apologize. I was really, _fucking_ nervous when you came over, but I'm so glad that you did. Like you said, we just met and I've never felt I could trust someone so completely enough to share my secrets with. Being with you, just getting to know you, has been the best time I've had in years. And our first kiss...it was magical. It was _so_ perfect. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

As Rei comforted the smaller woman, she began to feel the orange-gold hues of sadness melt away and Minako's crying slowly came to an end. After a moment, Minako brought her hands to Rei's shoulders and gently pushed herself away to search Rei's face for any hint of deceit. Rei confidently looked into Minako's questioning gaze, willing her to believe what she was saying. Slowly, she leaned in and captured Minako lips in a gentle, chaste kiss as if affirming she was telling Minako the truth. She smiled to herself when she felt Minako respond in kind, her aura relaxing to acceptance.

When the kiss ended, violet met cerulean and both women became lost in each other's gaze. Rei brought her hand up to gently wipe the tears from Minako's cheeks, "I find you very attractive, Aino Minako," she said softly.

"You used my line, cheater," Minako giggled softly as she shook her head.

"So you _were_ using lines on me! I _knew_ it!," Rei replied triumphantly. Both women began to laugh, breaking the tension between them.

"Whether they were 'lines' or not doesn't change the fact that I meant them," Minako replied sincerely.

A thought came to her and she looked at Rei quizzically with a raised eyebrow, "Not even _one_ _date_ , Rei-chan?"

"Well…lots of guys and a few girls have asked me out before," Rei shrugged. She brought her hands to rest on Minako's slender hips, "But I just never had the time. I was always practicing, studying, in class, working, or going to competitions. And I was never really into anyone anyways...well...until you."

Minako blushed slightly as Rei continued, "In any case, like I said, I usually keep my distance from people because of my abilities so I always turned them down. In fact, including today, I can probably count how many times I've been physically close to someone on one hand."

The shock that rippled through Minako's aura didn't go unnoticed by Rei. She was floored by this revelation. Having grown up with an affectionate twin sister like Usagi, warm hugs were not uncommon and she carried that with her through her friendships and relationships into adulthood. Physical affection was second-nature to her, as natural as breathing or blinking. She almost couldn't comprehend what Rei was saying, "So your grandfather and your friends were never affectionate with you?"

Rei's face fell slightly, "Sometimes they get a little… _too_ overprotective of me. I mean, I've never felt unloved or anything, I know they love me just as much and as deeply as I love them. They just worry about me because they understand how strong my abilities are. There was this one incident back in elementary school and, ever since then, they try to keep their distance because they know how much energy it can take out of me. They're afraid that I might…well…like what happened when you hugged me earlier...but worse. Even though I'm already so used to their auras and I've told them that before, they're still afraid I might strain myself."

Rei shrugged, "So…yeah...," she trailed off.

Minako's heart ached as she imagined a younger Rei losing her mother, being teased and isolated at school, having a father that barely wanted anything to do with her other than to use her, and having a grandfather and two friends who loved her but were too afraid for her sake to show her affection, _Gods, to be so alone…so deprived of affection...and yet have such a caring heart and be so gentle…It's no small miracle she's not psychopathic!_

* * *

Rei could feel the overwhelming concern coming from the smaller woman and immediately felt uneasy. Even though Minako made it easy for her to be herself and to feel safe to share so much, she was still a proud woman and didn't want to be seen as 'broken'. It's just the cards she was dealt in life, no big deal. She survived, didn't she? A small part of her also feared that Minako would try to distance herself out of concern as Haruka, Michiru, and her grandfather had. She really enjoyed Minako's affectionate personality and, in a small way, was becoming addicted to her warm aura.

Before she could play it off to try and reassure the blonde, her attention was grabbed by Minako gently cupping her face in her hands. Her face was serious as she looked intently into Rei's lavender eyes, "Rei-chan, I really like you and I…I want to see where this goes. As you can tell, I'm a physically affectionate person. But I don't ever want you to feel pressured into doing something you don't want to do. I can't read you like you can read me so I need you to talk to me and be honest, especially when it comes to physical stuff. If we do this, we'll take things slow and go at a pace you're comfortable with, ok?"

Rei smiled in relief at Minako's words. The gorgeous blonde had surprised her at every turn. She respected her privacy when Rei was reluctant to share about some of the specifics of her job or family and she hadn't run away screaming when she told her about her abilities or that she was a virgin in so many ways. In fact, she was still in her arms, as close as ever, and wanting more. She could sense that Minako was telling the truth about taking things slow and being honest.

"Mmn," Rei nodded in agreement as she felt Minako's sincerity and honesty flow through her, "I like the sound of that."

Minako smiled as she stepped back from Rei and out of her embrace, "Ok, then. Now there's just one last thing to take care of."

Rei blinked at Minako in confusion, "What?"

Minako giggled as she grasped Rei's hands in her own, "Rei-chan," she said as a slight blush painted her cheeks, "Will you…go out with me?"

Rei smiled as she squeezed Minako's hands, "Yes."

"Gods, I'm so glad you said 'yes'," Minako sighed, feigning relief, "I was nervous that you might have gotten used to saying 'no' to all your other suitors that you'd turn me down and all of this would have been _really_ awkward!"

Both women laughed as they hugged each other warmly, "Are you sick of my aura invading your body yet?," Minako asked playfully.

"Never," Rei replied squeezing the blonde tighter. "It's nice now that I've adjusted to it."

"Good, because it's already 3:00am and I'm _not_ driving home with sake on my breath," Minako replied. Her voice lowered to a seductive tone, "So, we're sleeping together whether you like it or not."

Rei froze when she heard Minako's words. But, after a quick scan of Minako's aura, she relaxed and realized she was, again, being teased by the gorgeous blonde.

"Mou, Minako," Rei whined playfully as she pulled away, "Whatever happened to 'no pressure' and 'going at a pace I'm comfortable with'?"

Minako giggled and stuck her tongue out at the taller woman, "I just meant we'd sleep in the same bed together, not that anything would happen. You really _are_ ecchi, aren't you, Rei-chan?"

Rei pouted playfully as Minako giggled at her expense, "Hey, where's the fun in dating you if I can't tease you a little, huh?"

Rei continued to pout as she looked away, "Mou, Rei-chan," Minako cooed as she kissed Rei on the cheek, bringing a soft blush to the taller woman's cheeks, "Forgive me?"

"Mmn," Rei replied shyly. She turned back to look at Minako, "It _is_ really late, isn't it? C'mon, I have a set of pajamas you can use so you can be more comfortable."

The two women cleaned up the dining table and the kitchen before heading to the bedroom where Rei provided Minako with a change of clothes, which she took to the guest bathroom and prepared for bed, while Rei used her master bathroom for her nightly routine.

When both women crawled into bed, Minako immediately scooted closer to the raven-haired woman, resting her head on her chest while wrapping an arm around her neck. Rei wrapped her arm protectively around Minako's shoulders, pulling her closer, enjoying the warmth of the smaller woman. They each said their good nights before drifting into peaceful slumber.

* * *

 ** _Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!...Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!..._**

The digital notes of a cell phone startled the sleeping blonde out of rest. She rolled to her back and reached over groggily, trying to paw at her nightstand to find her phone, only to be met with more bed that she was used to. She tilted her head and opened her eyes slightly to see why she couldn't find her nightstand. Realizing she wasn't in her own bed, her eyes shot open and she bolted up into a sitting position, which she immediately regretted when a searing headache hit her like a sledgehammer.

 _That's right, I'm at Rei-chan's place,_ Minako thought. She made a grumbling sound as she slowly rolled out of bed and stumbled towards her purse, which was on a table at the other end of the room. Once she reached it, she dug inside to find her phone. When she picked it up and saw who was calling, her eyes immediately widened,

 _Oh, shit…,_ she thought as she flipped her phone open and hesitantly brought it to her ear.

"…H-Hello?," Minako said meekly.

"WHERE THE _HELL_ WERE YOU!? YOU NEVER TEXTED ME LAST NIGHT TO SAY YOU GOT HOME! I TEXTED AND YOU NEVER WROTE BACK! WHEN I TRIED CALLING YOUR CELLPHONE, IT KEPT GOING TO VOICEMAIL. I WAS ABOUT TO CALLED THE POLICE!," Usagi yelled in the phone. Minako had to hold the phone away from her ear to avoid losing her hearing and to avoid making her headache any worse than it already was. She squinted at her phone, 10:00am. Not only was she losing battery, she also didn't have much signal. She moved closer to the window and managed to get a few more bars.

"S-Sorry, Usa-neechan!," Minako said apologetically as Usagi continued to scold her through the phone, "I totally forgot! I'm sorry! I'm okay! I stayed over at…at a friend's house and I don't have much signal here."

"Mou, Mina-chan! You're my baby sister! If anything happened to you, I…I…," Usagi began wailing and bawling on the other end of the line.

"Mou, Usa-neeeecchhaaaaannn!," Minako whined, _Gods, sometimes she can be such a baby!_ , "I don't have much battery left on my phone. I'm fine, I swear! I promise I won't forget to text you ever, ever, ever again, ok?"

It was then that Minako remembered something she wanted to tell her, which she knew would help her situation, "But it's not going to happen again because I got a promotion yesterday."

Usagi immediately stopped crying, "A promotion?," she asked curiously.

"Yeah!," Minako replied quickly, trying to capitalize on the break in Usagi's hysterics, "I'm going to be the morning manager starting Monday from 7:00am to 2:00pm so I won't be coming home late anymore."

"THAT'S SO AWESOME, MINA-CHAN!" Usagi squealed. Minako held the phone away from her ear again. She silently cursed the gods for the invention of alcohol, drinking games, and high-pitched twin sisters.

"Th-Thanks, Usa-neechan," Minako replied, "I'll tell you all about it when we meet up later today, ok? I've got to go."

"Ok, Mina-chan, see you later!," Usagi said cheerfully, "Don't forget to bring everything you need for today, alright?"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Minako replied obediently. She was about to end the conversation when-

"And, Mina-chan, you can tell me all about your _friend_ who you stayed over with last night when we pick you up. I know that Karin-chan and Azumi-chan left for her parents' house yesterday so it can't be them!," Usagi said teasingly.

 _Ah, shit...,_ Minako cursed to herself, "Ok," she replied defeatedly, "Love you, Usa-neechan."

"Love you too, bye!" Usagi said before hanging up the phone.

Minako flipped her phone closed and sighed as she dropped her phone back into her purse. She realized then that her purse was on top of her neatly folded clothes, which appeared to be freshly laundered. Turning to look back at the bed, she realized that Rei wasn't there.

 _Huh, I wonder where she went,_ she thought as she stumbled to the master bathroom, which Minako could have sworn was the same size as her studio apartment and could rival a spa.

To the right was a long sink unit that spanned most of the wall with His and Her sinks...

 _Or perhaps...Her and Her?,_ Minako smiled to herself.

...with white counter-tops and dark-wood cabinets that sat beneath an expansive mirror. A long, plush, red, shag rug was on the floor in front of it and spanned the length of the unit. Beyond that in the far-right corner was a toilet room with a door in which one could use the facility in private if so desired. In the far-left corner was a large shower unit with glass panels and a large, square rainfall shower head installed right in the ceiling, complete with digital controls for water temperature, and tiled sandstone that matched the tiled floors throughout the bathroom.

In between the two, perpendicular to that wall, was a tub that looked like it could easily fit three to four people. Rather than having to climb over the edge to get in and out of it, the tub was sunken into the ground and had a small set of stairs built in to allow for someone to step down into it. The ledge along the width of the tub against the wall was lined with white pillar candles of varying heights and above that was a window that spanned to the ceiling, allowing for someone who was in the tub to enjoy perhaps the warm sunlight during the day or stargazing at night.

To the left, across from the sink unit and a couple yards or so from the shower, was a wide vanity area built into the wall with a large, wide mirror and vertical vanity lights on either side, and a bench-style vanity stool with a white cushion and dark-wood frame that matched the sink unit. The space between the vanity area and the shower had built-in cabinets that matched the sink unit next to a couple towel racks which had fluffy, white towels with red trim neatly folded over them. The six, rectangular skylight windows in the ceiling allowed for the room to be bathed in natural sunlight, adding to the tranquility of the space.

When Minako turned to the sink unit, she immediately knew the sink closest to the door was the one Rei used as it had a toothbrush sitting in a toothbrush holder next to a soap dispenser. When her gaze went to the other sink, she found an extra toothbrush had been set out on a neatly folded towel waiting for her. She smiled at Rei's attention to detail and thoughtfulness as she started her morning routine.

* * *

Refreshed and changed back into her clothes, Minako felt a little better though she was still battling a lingering headache. She quietly opened the door of the bedroom and walked out to the living room to find Rei, dressed in a flattering, grey t-shirt with cap sleeves and black fitted jeans, sitting at the dining room table, reading a newspaper, and sipping a cup of green tea.

Beautiful Rei... _devastatingly_ beautiful Rei…doing something so...normal. Minako couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

* * *

At the sound of the melodic voice, Rei looked up and smiled at the gorgeous blonde across the room, "Your head must be throbbing, the colors around there are all fuzzy."

She placed the newspaper down and got up to go to the kitchen, motioning for Minako to come over. As Minako approached the breakfast bar, Rei retrieved a mug from a cabinet, filled it with coffee that she had freshly brewed, and placed it on the bar. She pulled out a bottle of aspirin from a drawer and placed it next to the mug in front of Minako.

"How are _you_ feeling?" Minako asked.

"Great," Rei replied, "Like I said, I'm really good at drinking."

"You should teach me sometime," Minako groaned. She took the bottle and shook out two pills and quickly popped them into her mouth. Carefully, she chased them down with a sip of the black coffee. She closed her eyes and sighed contently, already feeling better with the warm, black liquid in her system.

Rei walked around the bar and gently hugged Minako from behind, resting her chin on Minako's shoulder, "Better?"

"Mmn, much. Thank you," Minako said as she leaned her head back onto Rei's shoulder, enjoying being held by the taller woman, "I should go. I have to meet my sister at 1:00pm and I still have a few things to do before then." She turned within the raven-haired woman's arms so they were facing each other. She wrapped her arms around Rei's neck, "I'll be out of town later today, but I'm coming back tomorrow. Can I see you then?"

"Mmn," Rei replied, "That works out because I'll be out of town and won't be back until tomorrow either."

"Well, we're just perfect for each other then, aren't we?," Minako said playfully.

Rei leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Minako's lips, "I'd like to think so," she whispered.

Minako blushed slightly as she looked up at the beautiful woman. She leaned in, resting her forehead against Rei's, and closed her eyes, "I'm going to miss you," she sighed.

"I'll miss you, too," Rei replied softly. Minako gently broke out of Rei's embrace to retrieve her phone from her purse. She flipped it open and began quickly typing before shutting it again.

 ** _Beep Beep!_**

Rei's cellphone beeped in her pocket, signaling a received text message. She pulled it out of her pocket and flipped it open. A text from a Tokyo number was in her phone and the body of the message contained a local address.

"Now we're even," Minako said playfully as she put her phone away. Rei smirked as she quickly stored the information in her phone and placed it back into her pocket.

"Text me when you get back in town?," Minako asked as she stepped closer to the taller woman and back into her embrace, wrapping her arms around her neck again.

"Mmn," Rei replied with a nod. Minako leaned in and kissed Rei on the lips. This time, the kiss lasted a little longer and slowly deepened. Though she wanted nothing more than to continue, Minako knew she had to get going and it took everything in her to end it. She pulled away reluctantly and took a deep breath.

"Thank the Gods for your gift, Rei-chan," Minako sighed, "Your kisses are heavenly." Rei blushed slightly at the complement.

"I have to go," Minako whispered as she headed to the door with Rei close behind. After putting on her shoes and opening the door, she turned and quickly kissed Rei on the cheek and left.

Once Rei closed and locked the door, she turned around and leaned her back against it, a wide smile gracing her lips, "Fuck, I don't know if I can wait until Sunday to see her again!"

* * *

 **Author Note:** And, after four chapters, we have finally come to the end of the scene in Rei's condo. Thanks for bearing with me on this!

A rudimentary version of this entire condo scene was actually what started this whole story. I imagined Minako going over to Rei's place for some reason or other and them drinking and getting to know each other. I originally thought it would just be a one-shot, but then I started to ask myself questions like, "Why would she do that? What would have to happen to lead up to such a scene? Where will they go from there?" And that's how this story began.

When I started writing this story, I thought it would be my first and, most likely, my last. As I mentioned in a previous chapter, writing isn't something I normally do so this is all very new to me. But, while I was traveling and away from my computer, I had a few flights that were at horrendous hours. In the middle of it all, in my delirious state between sleeping and being awake on one of the many layovers, I had a dream...or perhaps a vision?...about Rei and Minako. It was such a fleeting image, but one that I think will be a great basis for a new story. Though I'll need to do a bit of research for it, I've already begun developing the basic elements of how it will begin and end. But I won't start writing it until I've finished writing this one, of course. ^_^

Thanks for reading thus far! Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	9. Chapter 9

**Author Note:** As I write this story, I'm slowly realizing that poor Usagi and Mamoru are really outnumbered as the only straight couple...oh well! =)

 **Elegancia** = It's a noun in Hungarian and Spanish for "elegance"

 **Baka** = [Japanese] "idiot", "stupid", "fool", or "foolish"

 **162km/h** = about 100 mph

 **Ara** = [Japanese] "Oh!" or "Oh, my!" but not so exclamatory.

I don't own Sailor Moon, any songs, or brand names and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Garibay, F., Germanotta, S., and Blair, P. (2011). _The Edge of Glory_ [Recorded by Lady Gaga]. On Born This Way [CD], Oslo, Norway: LivingRoom Studios.

Gottwald, L., Levin, B., Martin, M., McKee, B., and Perry, K. (2010). _Teenage Dream_ [Recorded by Katy Perry]. On Teenage Dream [CD], Hollywood, California: Conway Recording Studios.

Lexus is a division of, and belongs to, the Toyota Motor Corporation (cited September, 2013). The brand is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

"Ok, all set!," Minako said as she squeezed into the backseat behind Usagi. After some shuffling, she and Mamoru were able to fit most of their things into the trunk of Mamoru's car. The rest of the items that didn't fit occupied the seat and floor next to her and behind Mamoru.

"You sure you have enough space back there?," Usagi asked worriedly as she looked at her sister through the rear view mirror, "Do you need me to slide my seat forward for you?"

"No, I'm good. I've got plenty of space," Minako replied cheerfully.

"Are you sure you brought everything?," Usagi asked, "I really don't want to have to drive back if you forgot something."

"If she brings anything else, there'd be nothing left in her apartment," Mamoru mumbled to himself as he slid into the driver's seat and shut the door. He suddenly felt his head jerk to the side and a sharp pain from that side of his head, "Owowowowowow!"

"What was that, Mamo-chan?," Usagi asked in a subtle warning tone as she pinched his ear and yanked him towards her.

"N-Nothing, Usako! I love you! Ow!," Mamoru said painfully.

"That's what I thought," Usagi replied triumphantly as she let go of his ear with a huff, "The only one allowed to make fun of my baby sister is me! I _earned_ it!"

"Y-Yes, Usako," Mamoru replied guiltily as he brought his hand up to rub the pain away from his ear.

Minako giggled at their exchange, "Yes, I double and triple-checked that I packed everything I needed before you got here."

"Good," Usagi replied, "Because if you brought anything else, there'd be nothing left in your apartment!" She let out a full laugh as Mamoru subtly rolled his eyes and started the car.

* * *

As they pulled away from Minako's apartment building and Usagi's laughter calmed down, Minako leaned forward and threw her arms around the chair and her sister, "I like your outfit, Usa-neechan!," she exclaimed as she rested her head on the shoulder of the chair and eyed the black, sleeveless turtleneck that hugged Usagi's body and was tucked into trendy, orange shorts. Dark-brown, knee-high Stiletto-heeled boots finished the look, "Did you get that from work?"

"Mou, Mina-chan! Put your seat belt on!," Usagi chided gently.

Minako giggled as she sat back in her chair and clicked on her seat belt, "There, happy now?"

"Mmn," Usagi nodded with a satisfied smile. She turned in her seat to talk to her sister, "And, yes, I _did_ get this from work. I liked it so much that they let me have it. The shorts reminded me of you." Her eyes trailed down to the yellow, A-line sundress Minako chose to wear with a black bolero and black flats, "Your outfit is _super_ cute too, Mina-chan! Is it new?"

"No, I've had these for a while, but I don't think I had the dress the last time I saw you," Minako replied as she looked down at her outfit and fingered the edge of her dress.

"I like it a lot! We should totally do another clothing-swap while I'm still in town," Usagi suggested.

"Mmn! That'd be fun!," Minako nodded eagerly in agreement. She always enjoyed doing clothing-swaps with her sister since she usually ended up getting the better-half of Usagi's wardrobe, which was ok by Usagi since she was always getting new clothes from work and needed to get rid of some items to make room for the new stuff.

"I'm _so_ excited!," Minako exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat, "I've heard _so_ much about The Elegancia! I can't believe we're going to be staying there!"

"Me too! I haven't stayed there before so I can't wait to see it!," Usagi squealed, "I'm really glad Haru-chan's friend got us all really great deals on the rooms."

"I read some reviews online that said the food there is to _die_ for!," Minako exclaimed excitedly.

"REALLY!?," Usagi practically screamed, "I CAN'T WAIT!"

The twins continued that way for some time until Mamoru couldn't take it anymore and began fiddling with the radio, which he immediately regretted when an upbeat pop song came on. Usagi and Minako squealed at the same time and began singing at the top of their lungs along with the husky-voiced singer.

 ** _\- Put on your shades, 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames tonight, yeah, baby (tonight, yeah, baby). It isn't Hell if everybody knows my name tonight (Alright, alright). It's hard to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous. I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you where we can both fall far in love. -_**

Mamoru groaned and brought a hand up to rub his temple. It was one thing for Minako to belt out a song since she was at least a good singer. The love of his life was…a different story...and she was closer in proximity to his ringing ears. He thanked the Gods that it was at least towards the end of the song.

"Gods, I love that song," Minako sighed as she flopped back in her seat.

"It's a good song!," Usagi agreed, "I can't wait to get my dance on tonight! Mamo-chan, you'll dance with me won't you?"

"Of course, Usako," Mamoru replied obediently. Minako giggled at how whipped Mamoru was by her sister.

"You'll dance with me too, right Mamoru-kun?," Minako teased.

"Of course he will!," Usagi answered for him. She continued talking but Minako was no longer listening as the next song that came on the radio caught her attention,

 ** _\- You think I'm pretty without any makeup on. You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong. I know you get me, so I let my walls come down. -_**

Minako always loved music and was amazed by how there was always a song out there that could explain how she felt if she couldn't find the words herself. She actually dreamed of a career in the music industry when she was younger and took a few classes in music theory before her mother passed away and she changed her major.

Though she had heard this song numerous times, she smiled as she listened to the lyrics.

 _I wonder what she's doing right now,_ she thought to herself as she sighed.

* * *

"Let me drive, I'll get us there faster," Haruka called as she exited the sliding-glass doors of the airport and headed towards her best friend who was waiting at the curb.

Rei was leaning against the side of her red Lexus LS 460 F Sport with her arms crossed in front of her. She still had on the grey t-shirt and black jeans, but added black sandals and a tan baseball cap which was pulled down low, covering most of her face. Her hair was in a ponytail that was pulled through the back of the cap.

"No! It's _my_ car!," Rei responded indignantly as she looked up at Haruka who was a full-head taller than her, "Besides, _you're_ the one who taught me how to drive. I can get us there just as fast as you can!"

"C'mon, Rei!," Haruka whined as she stopped in front of her childhood friend and dropped her bags on the floor, "You know how I feel about driving those American cars. I miss driving on the right side." She immediately let out a full laugh, "Haha, get it!? Because our driver-side is on the right and I think that's the _right_ way to drive!?" She ran her hand through her short, sandy-blonde hair as she laughed at her own joke.

Anyone who looked at Haruka would have agreed that she was heart-breakingly handsome. Not beautiful, but handsome. The tomboy wore black-rimmed, royal-blue, polarized, racing sunglasses and a white t-shirt under a black, leather jacket. On the bottom, she wore loose, dark-blue jeans and black boots.

Rei rolled her eyes at her best friend, "Baka," she mumbled to herself. Sometimes, Haruka was the most immature person she knew.

"You still love me anyways," Haruka quipped with a dazzling smile. She rested one hand on her hip as she held out her other hand and alternated between opening and closing it, "C'mon, Rei, hand them over."

"Fuuucck, fiiiine!," Rei groaned as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her keys. She dropped them reluctantly into Haruka's waiting hand.

Haruka smirked, "Hey, watch your fucking language, young lady," she said teasingly as she unlocked the car and headed towards the trunk to begin loading her bags.

"I learned from the best," Rei replied snarkily. She walked around the car to the passenger-side and got in, shutting the door behind her. She pouted as she rested her elbow on the door and leaned her cheek against her fist.

 _Mataku,_ Rei huffed to herself as she watched Haruka through the rear view mirror load the last of her bags into the trunk, _Why do I always put up with her shit? Sometimes she's such a-_

Suddenly, Rei felt a shift in the air. She quickly straightened up and directed her attention towards the sliding-glass doors of the airport. She closed her eyes tightly and reached out towards the disturbance that caused the hairs on the back of her head to stand on end. Her eyes shot wide open when she realized what it was, _Oh, shit!_

"HARUKA!," Rei yelled as she rolled down her window, "GET YOUR ASS IN THE CAR! WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!"

"What?," Haruka asked with confusion as she finished loading her bags and slammed the trunk shut.

"DID I _FUCKING_ STUTTER!? MOVE IT, HARUKA!," Rei yelled as she leaned over to the driver-side door and rolled down the window.

"Oh my Gods, it's Tenoh Haruka!," a high-pitched, adolescent, feminine voice came from the airport. Haruka turned towards the voice and was met by a very large group of young girls in high school uniforms exiting the airport, obviously coming back from a class trip, _Oh, shit!_

"Isn't that Hino Rei's car!? Oh my Gods! I think that's her in the passenger seat!," another girl squealed loudly.

Haruka sprinted to the driver side of the car and swiftly jumped into the driver's seat through the open window as the sound of running, screaming girls progressively got closer and louder. She started the engine and expertly zoomed away before the stampede closed in on them.

* * *

Once they were on the freeway, Haruka rolled the windows up and raised her sunglasses to rest on top of her head. She let out a breath and laughed, "Woooooh! Haha! It's good to be home! I haven't had _that_ happen to me in a while!"

"Shut up, Haruka!," Rei growled. She took off her baseball cap, threw it in the backseat, and pulled her hair out of the ponytail, "Kami-sama! Did you forget we wouldn't have a security detail until we actually _get_ to the hotel!? If I hadn't felt them when I did or opened the window for you to jump in, we would have been trapped! You can toy with _your_ _own_ life all you want, but I'm sure as _fuck_ not going to die by Michiru's hand for _your_ stupidity!"

"Oh, c'mon Rei, lighten up!," Haruka laughed, "Admit it, that was pretty funny!"

Rei huffed, but couldn't help but feel a smile pull at the corner of her lips. Haruka glanced at her childhood friend from the corner of her dark-blue eyes and smiled before returning her gaze to the road. They stayed silent for a moment before Rei spoke up,

"Nobuo-san sends his best, by the way," Rei said, changing the subject.

"He's such a good guy," Haruka replied sincerely, "I need to challenge him to another sparring match soon."

"Yeah," Rei replied softly, "And…Papa sends his regards," she said reluctantly, relaying the text she received earlier that day from her father, "His text said he got the invite but didn't have time to respond that he won't be coming so he wanted me to tell you." She shook her head disapprovingly, "Fucking prick," she said under her breath but just audible enough for Haruka to hear.

"Mmn," Haruka responded quietly, keeping her eyes on the road. She was relieved that they wouldn't be seeing him today, _Who knows what would happen if he and Rei were in the same room!_

Haruka's father always told her stories about how caring, funny, occasionally hot-headed, and extremely smart his college friend Hino Takashi was and how, ever since Rei's mother passed away, Takashi had become a changed man. Growing up, Haruka only knew Rei's father as the workaholic, stone-cold businessman who sponsored her father's racing team and provided them with the supplies for their sport. It was hard to picture someone like that being likeable or caring, especially since he treated his own daughter, her best friend and practically little sister, as a business pawn. Since the racing team was still under contract with Hino Sporting Enterprise, Haruka had to work with Takashi every once in a while due to taking over the team after her father passed. Professionally, she had to admit he was great to do business with. Personally, she deeply resented him for how he treated Rei and tried her best to keep their interactions to a minimum lest she exact revenge of some sort on Rei's behalf.

"Hey, that was awesome how you sensed that mob of teens from so far away," Haruka said after a long silence, changing the subject, "You really got us out of a jam there. Have you been practicing?"

"A little," Rei shrugged. A thought came to her and a proud smile graced her lips as she turned towards her best friend, "Actually, I was able to read your aura over the phone yesterday."

"Whoa, really!?," Haruka said with awe, "That's _fucking_ cool! How did you come up with that?"

"I figured since touching someone makes it easier for me to tap into auras, a phone technically _does_ connect me with someone since they're holding it so close to their body and so am I," Rei explained, "I've been trying it for a couple months now for fun. It _does_ takes some effort since it's a fake connection, but it works!"

"Shit, you're getting really creative with your abilities, Rei," Haruka exclaimed proudly, "Michiru hasn't had any changes, but I know she's still working with that scientist-friend of hers who's been doing research on it."

"Did she find anything?," Rei asked enthusiastically.

"I'm not sure. She tried explaining it to me once but I didn't really understand it," Haruka responded with a shrug, "It didn't sound like it though."

"Mmn, I see," Rei replied with disappointment.

"But at least it seems like your senses are nice and sharp today," Haruka said, "That's good! You're going to need it for later."

"I'll be fine, Haruka," Rei huffed as she flicked her hair over her shoulder, "I know you're worried, but you don't have to baby me."

"All I'm saying is you better not overdo it today, alright? I don't want to see you get hurt," Haruka said sternly. Haruka rarely pulled out her 'dad' voice, as Rei called it, but, when she did, it was wise not to argue.

"Ok, I understand," Rei responded with a sigh, _Sometimes Haruka can be just as stubborn as me!_

"Also, thanks for picking me up today," Haruka said as she began pushing the speedometer closer to 162km/h, "It would have been a hassle to rent a car just for a few hours."

"Don't forget about me getting your clothes from the tailor too," Rei reminded. She shook her head, "I _still_ can't believe you forgot that."

"I know, I know! I _swear_ I thought I had it with me when I packed!," Haruka said defensively. She smiled, "I can't fucking wait for you to meet everyone. But you have to make sure you watch out for yourself also."

"Yes, ma'aaam," Rei sighed as she leaned towards the radio and turned it on. She flipped through the stations until a song caught her attention,

 ** _\- You think I'm pretty without any makeup on. You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong. I know you get me, so I let my walls come down. -_**

For a miko who lived most of her life at a shrine in the woods, Rei had always liked music. Though she told people she hated karaoke or singing, she secretly would sing in the privacy of her room, in the shower, or in the car to songs that streamed from her online station and she was actually pretty good at it. She even took up guitar for a little bit when she was in high school before she sold it to help pay off some of the bills. She loved that she could always find a song that could express her feelings.

Though she knew the words to this song by heart, she didn't really _listen_ to them until now.

 _I can't stop thinking about her,_ she thought to herself as she sighed, _I wonder if she's thinking of me right now, too._

* * *

"How much longer, Mamo-chan?," Usagi whined.

"Almost there, Usako. About 15 minutes or so," Mamoru replied patiently.

Usagi turned her head towards the back seat to look at Minako, who was sound asleep. The twins had caught each other up on practically everything...except for what happened last night. All Usagi knew was that Minako stayed over at someone's house.

 _And stayed up late, apparently_ , Usagi thought with a smirk. During their conversation, Minako had fallen fast asleep from exhaustion.

 _Don't think you're going to get out of this one_ _that_ _easily, Mina-chan!,_ Usagi thought mischievously, _I_ _will_ _get details from you one way or another!_

* * *

"We're here!," Haruka said cheerfully as they pulled up to the valet of The Elegancia. Rei was pleasantly relieved to find a tight security detail around the perimeter of the hotel that made it virtually impossible for anyone to get in past the front gate. As they drove up, she noticed more security around the entrance of the hotel and could see a few that were inside the lobby. She allowed herself to relax.

"How you feeling?," Rei asked casually as she turned towards her best friend.

Haruka beamed as she calmly reached over and placed her hand on Rei's shoulder. Rei jumped a little at the contact. Haruka's royal-blue aura was always aggressively strong, playful, and fairly consistent and steady, truly reflecting her personality. But, mixed within the familiar, royal-blue aura, Rei felt a giddy sensation and a hint of…Nervousness? Rei had never known _anything_ to shake her best friend and couldn't help but be surprised.

"You tell me," Haruka said softly as she released Rei's shoulder.

Rei smiled reassuringly, "It's going to be the best day of your life, Haruka. You're going to be fine."

"Rei, you _know_ I'm more than 'fine'," Haruka said mischievously, "I'm fucking _irresistible_!"

Rei groaned and rolled her eyes as her best friend burst into laughter. As both women exited the car, Haruka popped open the trunk as a hotel porter with a luggage cart approached. They unloaded the car, gave the keys to the valet, checked in, and headed up to their rooms.

* * *

"Mina-chan? Mina-chan," Usagi whispered as she gently shook Minako's shoulder, "Hey, wake up, we're here."

Minako yawned as she groggily opened her eyes, "Oh, wow, I didn't even realize I fell asleep. We're here already?"

"Yup, just pulled up," Usagi replied cheerfully.

Minako stretched and stepped out of the car. Mamoru was busy unloading the car as a hotel porter approached with a luggage cart and spoke loudly into a handheld transceiver, asking for backup luggage assistance.

"C'mon, let's go check in! I'm _super_ excited!," Usagi squealed, jumping up and down. She grabbed her sister's hand and ran towards the lobby, "Mamo-chan we'll check in and meet you at the room!," she called over her shoulder, dragging Minako along.

"O-Oi, Usako!," Mamoru called. As the twins ran off, he sighed. Sometimes his girlfriend can be such a princess. He continued to unpack the car as a third luggage cart was being rolled out by a third porter.

* * *

"Wow! It's _so_ big!," Usagi gasped.

"Yeah! Better than the photos they had online!," Minako agreed.

The massive studio suite was themed in beige with black accents that gave a modern yet warm look to it. On the left wall of the entryway, at the very end, was a door that led to a large and luxurious bathroom while most of the right wall of the entryway was occupied by a closet with sleek, bifold, blonde wood doors.

In the left-corner of the suite, beyond the entryway, was an expansive, beige, L-shaped, velvet couch with black piping that framed a circular, blonde wood coffee table. A couple feet away, following the left wall, was a nightstand with a lamp next to a king-sized bed on a blonde wood frame with a slat headboard that came out perpendicular to the wall. The bed had pristine, white sheets and pillows with a black accent blanket at the foot of it. Next to that was a matching nightstand and lamp which stood a couple feet away from a window that spanned the length of the far wall with a recessed window bench that had beige cushions with black piping and black accent pillows. Mounted on the right wall, across from the bed, was a flat-screen television. Across from the couch, in the right-corner of the suite beyond the entryway, was an office desk and chair complete with computer, internet access, and printer with paper for guests' convenience.

Minako immediately went to the window of their 13th story room and opened the sheer window curtains to look at the view. She was awestruck by a view of the city of Kamakura and the vast beach and ocean beyond that.

"You sure you're ok sleeping on the pullout sofa bed, Mina-chan?," Usagi asked, "We can always switch to a room that has two queen beds instead."

"No, no, I'm ok! Thanks, Usa-neechan," Minako replied cheerfully as she continued to stare out the window. She turned to look at her sister who had happily thrown herself backwards onto the king-sized bed, "Hey, do you think we have time to go to the beach sometime today?," Minako asked hopefully.

"Mina-chan, we're not here on vacation. We're here to support our friend!," Usagi chided gently.

"Awww," Minako whined disappointedly.

Usagi sat up and looked up at the ceiling as she thought, "Well...if we don't get _too_ crazy tonight, we _may_ be able to go tomorrow after we check out of the hotel." Minako's eyes lit up at her sister's comment.

"But, remember, Mamo-chan and I have a meeting to get to in Tokyo so-Oof!," Usagi gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. Minako had pounced on her sister at full-speed, body-slamming Usagi into the bed.

"Thanks, Usa-neechan!," Minako squealed as she hugged her sister tightly.

"Mou, Mina-chan!," Usagi wheezed, "I can't breathe!"

"Oh! Sorry!," Minako apologized as she rolled off of her sister. Both were still laughing as a knock came from the door and four porters entered with their bags, followed by a tired-looking Mamoru. As they unloaded the bags from the luggage carts, Mamoru rested his hands on his hips and shook his head, "Mataku, Usako, Mina-chan, are all of these bags _really_ necessary for just a one-night stay?"

"Mou, Mamoru-kun!," Minako pouted, "I only brought one bag of clothes and a garment bag!"

"Yeah, along with your two rolling cases," Mamoru retorted matter-of-factly as he pointed to two, four-feet tall, 15" by 10", rectangular, black rolling cases.

"Don't listen to him, Mina-chan. He's just grumpy from driving and being jetlagged," Usagi said as she brought a hand up and waved it as if waving off Mamoru's comment. She also wanted to avoid the fact that she had brought the most luggage out of the three and they were currently taking up most of the floor-space in the suite.

 ** _Brrrrrriiiiinnngg!...Brrrrrriiiiinnngg!_**

The sound of the room phone's shrill ring interrupted their conversation. Minako jumped off the bed, went to the office desk, and picked up the phone.

"Hello?," Minako greeted.

"Usagi-chan! I'm so glad you made it!," a sweet voice answered on the other line.

"Oh, Michi-chan, it's Minako," Minako replied with a smile, "Yeah, we just got here."

"Ara, sorry, Mina-chan. You sounded just like Usagi-chan on the phone," Michiru replied with a cute giggle, "Ami-chan just got here too and is headed up to my suite. Why don't you two come over so we can get ready together? I'm on the 31st floor, room 3189."

"Ok, we'll be right there!," Minako said cheerfully.

"See you soon," Michiru replied and hung up.

Minako hung up the phone and turned to the porters, "Sorry, can we take these bags up to room 3189?," She said as she gestured towards her orange overnight bag, garment bag, and two rolling cases that had been unloaded. The porters nodded and one began loading the requested bags back onto an empty luggage cart.

"That was Michi-chan," Minako said as she turned towards Usagi, "She wants us to go to her room so we can get ready. I have to bring all my bags, is there anything other than your garment bag you need to bring up to get ready?"

"Nope," Usagi replied, "I'll just borrow some of your stuff when we're up there." Minako gestured to a bright pink garment bag and asked the porter to load that up with her bags as well. The porters quickly finished and left the room.

"Well, Mamo-chan, looks like you'll have the room to yourself for a while to nap," Usagi said cheerfully as she hopped off the bed. She skipped towards Mamoru and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, "We'll see you later, ok? Love you!"

"Mmn," Mamoru grunted, still looking anxiously at all the bags that were on the floor as Usagi and Minako left the room giggling.

* * *

 **Author Note: ** I've never been to Japan, but I've always wanted to go. In writing this story and doing research for it, I feel like I'm indirectly finding out about different areas I want to visit whenever I get a chance to actually go there myself!

 _Fun Fact:_ See A/Ns at the end of Chapter 5.

13th Floor - Someone's initials (last-name first). More than one answer...Actually, now that I think about it, if you do it first-name first, you get someone else's initials too. Oh, the intricacy! =D

Room 3189 - The only Sailor Senshi with 4 letters.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Note:** We're going to be spending some time at the Elegancia so hang in there with me!

 **Stephanotis flowers** = These flowers usually represent happiness in marriage

 **Kampai** = [Japanese] "cheers"

I don't own Sailor Moon or any brand names and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

The Armani brand belongs to Giorgio Armani and the Fireball Whisky brand belongs to the Sazerac Company (cited September, 2013). These brands are used merely as descriptors for this fiction piece.

* * *

 **Chapter 10:**

Rei showered and changed in her room before going over to Haruka's deluxe, one-bedroom suite. The suite was of the same style and color-theme as the regular suites but, instead of entering straight into a bedroom, the double-door entrance opened into a large, wide room that acted as a receiving room and living room.

Immediately to the right of the doors was a long, blonde wood table that spanned to the right corner of the room. Evenly spaced on the table were three, bubble ball vases with a bouquet of Stephanotis flowers delicately arranged within each of them. Following a short distance away from that on the right wall, perpendicular to the front door, was a door that led to a full guest bathroom. Farther still along that wall was a large, flat-screen television that was recessed into the wall and sat across a huge, curved, velvet couch that could easily seat seven to ten people. A long, blonde wood coffee-table, which usually sat between the television and couch, was pushed up against the wall underneath the television to allow for more space to move around. In the far-right corner of the room was a full-length floor mirror.

The back wall was all windows and overlooked part of the city of Kamakura, the beach, and the ocean. In the far-left corner was another set of double-doors that led to a luxurious bedroom with it's own, private, full bathroom. In the left corner of the room, across from the windows and immediately to the left of the double-door entrance was a full-sized, blonde wood bar where patrons could entertain visitors with various liquors and spirits. On the black, granite counter top of the bar were two, square serving plates, one with freshly cut fruits and one with freshly cut vegetables Haruka ordered for her and Rei to snack on while they were in the room. Across from the bar, in front of the windows and in between where the bedroom doors and the couch were situated, was an office desk and chair with a computer, internet access, and printer with paper to allow for guests' to enjoy the view while they worked at the desk.

Rei was lounging casually in the curve of the couch closest to the entrance, wearing a white, two-piece suit with a black, leather belt, royal-blue dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, and black heels. Her right leg was crossed over her left and she had her left arm draped over the backrest. Her amethyst eyes stared blankly at her best friend who was standing in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting her bow tie.

Though it appeared as if Rei was intently watching Haruka fuss over her bow tie, her thoughts were far from that. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling of a familiar, warm aura tugging at her senses and she found herself puzzled by it.

 _It's almost like I can still feel her. Like she's still near me,_ Rei mused. She shook her head slightly, _No, that's silly,_ she rationalized to herself, _Maybe what I'm feeling is just residual aura from last night. I mean, I've never been_ _that_ _physically close to anyone before so maybe this is just a lasting effect from it? I should just forget it. Haruka's right, I need to stay focused for later today._

Her amethyst eyes went back to her best friend, _Maybe if I tell her about it, I can get it off of my chest._

"Hey...Haruka?," Rei said timidly.

"Hmm? What is it Rei?," Haruka said over her shoulder without turning, still fiddling with her bow tie. Her brow furrowed at her reflection and she huffed in frustration as she undid her royal-blue bow tie for the fifth time, "I don't know what the hell's wrong with me! I can't get this fucking thing right!"

"Here, let me do it," Rei said calmly as she got up from the couch and walked towards the irritated race car driver. Haruka lifted her hands in defeat and sighed as she let them fall to her sides. She reluctantly turned to face Rei who skillfully began tying the material.

"So," Haruka smirked as she watched Rei, "The pupil becomes the teacher, huh?"

"Like I said, I learned from the best," Rei smiled as she finished tying the material into a perfect bow. Once she finished, she ran her hands swiftly over Haruka's shoulders, brushing the jacket straight. She stepped back to examine her best friend from head to toe. Haruka was wearing a handsome, black tuxedo with a white dress-shirt and black dress shoes. Her royal-blue bow tie matched her royal-blue vest and Rei's dress shirt. Rei chuckled to herself as she noticed that the blue of their outfits matched Haruka's royal-blue aura perfectly.

"So? What do you think?," Haruka asked, turning in a slow circle to give Rei a full look, "Do I look stupid?"

"Meh," Rei said with feigned disinterest as she shrugged, "You'll do."

"Thanks, asshole," Haruka replied sarcastically as she smirked. She turned back to the mirror to look at herself. Her face softened as she looked at Rei through the reflection, "It's ironic, isn't it? One day I'm teaching you how to tie a bow tie, the next you're showing me how it's done." She turned to her childhood friend and smiled, "You've really grown up, Rei. I hope you know I'm really proud of you."

A slight blush tinted Rei's cheeks as she looked away. She hated to admit how much she loved hearing her idol say she made her proud. Haruka turned back to the mirror to look at herself, pulling at the ends of her vest to straighten it.

"So, what were you going to say?," Haruka asked. Rei's blush was now no longer out of flattery, but out of nervousness and embarrassment.

"W-Well, I…I-I wanted to tell you...umm...," Rei stammered.

"Yes?," Haruka said. She turned to face her best friend. Once she saw how flustered and nervous Rei was, she became serious, "Spill it, Rei. Did something happen between you and your father? If it has anything to do with him, I swear to the Gods next time I see him I'm going to-"

"No!," Rei huffed in frustration, "Fuck, Haruka, it's not about him!" She took a breath and began again, "I-I wanted to say…thanks…for yesterday," Rei stuttered.

"Yesterday?," Haruka looked at Rei with confusion, "I don't follow."

"Well…when I was getting your suit at the tailor shop, I…I met someone," Rei stammered, bracing herself for how Haruka would react.

"WHAT!?," Haruka practically shouted with surprise. She hadn't expected to hear her best friend say _those_ words! Sure, Rei would make passing comments about celebrities or models in magazines, but Haruka was almost convinced that Rei was _asexual_ rather than _gay_ growing up, "REI! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING EARLIER!?"

She grabbed Rei's hand and dragged her to the couch, practically throwing her down to sit as she sat next to her,

"You're going to tell me _everything_ that happened yesterday! Right now!," Haruka said enthusiastically.

* * *

"Ami-chan!," Usagi and Minako squealed at the same time as a petite, short-haired blunette opened the double-doors of Michiru's deluxe, one-bedroom suite after they knocked on the door.

"Usagi-chan! Mina-chan!," Mizuno Ami gasped happily as she saw her high school friends. She was dressed in a mid-back, teal, knee-length, silk chiffon dress with a v-neckline that was held up by a self-tie sash that tied around the back of her neck. The three hugged each other tightly before shuffling into the suite, which was an exact mirror image of Haruka's suite.

"How's California?," Usagi asked Ami as she closed the door behind them.

"It's wonderful! I'm learning _so_ much! The hospital I'm working at also has lots of opportunities for me to do research at the same time!," The genius resident physician beamed.

"How're the beaches?," Minako asked excitedly, "I heard they're awesome!"

"U-Ummm…," Ami stammered as she looked away nervously and brought a hand up to scratch her cheek.

"A-Mi-Chan," Usagi said disapprovingly, emphasizing every syllable of her petite friend's name. She looked at her friend sternly as she brought her hands to rest on her hips, " _Please_ tell me you've seen things outside of the hospital, library, and your apartment since you've been there!"

Ami gulped audibly under her long-time friend's gaze, "W-Well…I-I've been busy…," she stuttered.

"Mou, Ami-chan!," Minako whined, "Remember how much work it was for Usa-neechan and me to get you to come out of your shell in high school? Don't let our hard work go to waste, now! You need to relax and have fun too, you know!"

"M-Mmn," Ami nodded obediently, blushing.

"Well, in any case," Usagi sighed as she relaxed, smiling warmly at the petite woman, "We're glad you're home, even if it's just for a little bit."

"Mmn, it's good to be back," Ami smiled at her two friends.

"So, where's Michi-chan?," Minako asked as she looked around the room.

"Ara, did someone call me?," a sweet voice asked as the bedroom double-doors opened to reveal a stunning, teal-haired woman. Ami, Usagi, and Minako could only stare at the woman wide-eyed with jaws dropped in amazement.

"Michi-chan," Usagi whispered, breaking the silence and fighting back tears at the sight of her college friend, "You look... _so_ beautiful!"

Kaioh Michiru, who was half-a-head taller than the twins and a full-head taller than Ami, had always been alluring and today was no exception. She stood before the three in a ball gown wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline. A four rows, saltwater, white pearl, bridal necklace adorned her graceful neck, which matched her saltwater pearl stud earrings. Her arms were adorned with elbow-length, white, satin gloves and her wavy, shoulder-length hair rested perfectly over her bare shoulders.

"Thank you, Usagi-chan," Michiru said sweetly as she smiled warmly at her college friend, "I'm so glad you and Mamoru-kun could make it, I know how busy your schedules are."

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything!," Usagi replied cheerfully. She rushed towards her friend and hugged her with all she had as Michiru returned the hug in kind. When the hug ended, Minako was right behind her sister to give Michiru a hug of her own.

"Ara, Mina-chan," Michiru said with slight surprise as she looked at the gorgeous blonde once the hug ended.

"What, Michi-chan?," Minako asked with concern as she looked up at the taller woman with questioning eyes.

A knowing smile played across Michiru's lips. She shook her head, "Nothing," she giggled, "Thanks for agreeing to help us today," she said, changing the subject, "I felt bad asking you but, then again, I couldn't think of anyone _better_ than you to help us and I wanted today to be perfect."

"Of course! No problem, Michi-chan! It's the _least_ I can do!," Minako said reassuringly, "I also brought stuff to do hair as well if you or anyone else wants." She grasped Michiru's hands and took a step back to examine her friend from head to toe, "Wow, Michi-chan," was all she could say in awe.

"C'mon, Mina-chan!," Usagi said excitedly as she grabbed her sister by the arm and began dragging her away, causing Minako to release Michiru's hands. Usagi led Minako towards their bags, which were dropped off in the suite near the front door by the porters, "We don't have much time. We still have to shower, get dressed, and you still have to do everyone's makeup."

"Alright, alright," Minako replied cheerfully. She turned back towards Michiru, "Michi-chan, you sure you don't mind us using your bathroom to get ready?"

"No, go right ahead," Michiru replied sweetly, "It'll be more fun with all of us together here instead of in our own rooms anyways." She gestured towards her bedroom and the guest bathroom, "Usagi-chan can use the bathroom in my room and you can use the guest bathroom so you both can get ready at the same time." The sisters nodded and began gathering their things.

"Plus…," Michiru said as she let out a giggle, causing the three smaller women to look at her questioningly.

"'Plus' what, Michi-chan?," Usagi asked.

"Plus, I thought having you all here would be a good way for us to catch up," Michiru smiled mischievously as she looked at Minako, "Especially Mina-chan. I got the sense when I looked into your eyes that something interesting might have happened to you fairly recently?"

"Really?," Ami asked as she looked at Minako, who began to turn bright red.

"Oh, right!," Usagi exclaimed, "You have to tell us about that _friend_ of yours whose place you stayed at last night!"

"What!?," Ami gasped as a blush began to form on her cheeks from the implication of Usagi's words. Michiru continued to giggle as she watched her friends' reactions.

Minako gulped audibly. She quickly grabbed her overnight bag and garment bag and ran to the guest bathroom, locking herself inside.

 _Damn Michi-chan and her intuition!,_ Minako cursed to herself as she heard her sister beyond the door yelling about how Minako was no fair for running away and how she couldn't hide in there forever.

* * *

"Hah! Way to go, champ!," Haruka exclaimed as she slapped Rei on the back, almost causing the raven-haired woman to fall off the couch.

"Ow! Damn it, Haruka!" Rei scolded. She had just finished telling Haruka about her flirtatious encounter with the makeup artist at Kirei, how she had invited herself over to Rei's condo, and how they talked and drank sake for most of the night. She skipped over the part where the gorgeous blonde hugged her, knowing Haruka would probably get worried for her sake. She also skipped over their first kiss and make-out session. Even though those were her favorite memories of the night, she wanted to keep those intimate moments private.

"Haha! Sorry! I'm just so _fucking_ happy for you!," Haruka apologized as she laughed, "You lucky bastard, having the first girl you like chasing you down! Remember how long it took me to get Michiru to even go on a _date_ with me?"

Rei chuckled at the memory, "I told you Seika said if you just stopped using those damn pick-up lines and asked her out properly she would have said 'yes' the _first_ time you asked." She flicked her hair behind her shoulder, "You should be thanking your lucky stars that Michiru stayed with you _this_ long! She's _way_ out of your league!"

Haruka responded by slugging Rei in the arm, "Ow! Fuck you, Haruka!"

"No thanks, Rei," Haruka said as she let out a laugh, "I'm _way_ out of your league!"

"Asshole," Rei muttered under her breath as she rubbed her sore arm.

"So, what's her name?," Haruka asked, returning to the subject at hand. Before Rei could respond, she felt something and she sat up straight, staring blankly ahead of her.

"Rei, what is it?," Haruka asked with concern. She could tell Rei had sensed something.

"Someone's coming," Rei said flatly, still in a slight trance, "No…two people. One female, one male. The male is tall, short-black hair, wearing the same outfit as me. He's _really_ tired, his aura's wavering a lot."

"That's probably Mamoru-kun," Haruka responded.

"The female works here and is walking a little bit ahead of the male," Rei continued, "Brunette, ponytail, tall, wearing a chef uniform with some type of cap, a little stressed, and…bringing the ice and glasses we asked for."

"Oh, good! That must be Mako-chan then," Haruka said.

"They're here, the woman has a master key to the room," Rei said, blinking out of her trance.

 ** _Knock, Knock!_**

"Come in!," Haruka called towards the door.

 ** _Shick...Click Click!_**

The sound of a key card being slid and the front doors unlocking were heard and a tall brunette, dressed in a pristine, white chef outfit walked in with a room-service cart that had a green gown-bag hanging off the handle. On her head, she wore a white, professional chef's head wrap that covered the top of her head and allowed her long, low ponytail to come out the back. To Rei, she also had a green aura that matched her eyes. On the cart was a tray with four, empty high-ball glasses and a full ice bucket next to another tray of four, empty champagne glasses and a bottle of champagne chilling in its own ice bucket.

Before Haruka or Rei could get up to help the chef, a tall, handsome man with short, black hair, dressed in the same outfit as Rei, managed to make it to the door and was able to hold it open from behind, allowing the chef to wheel the cart into the room with ease. Rei noted that the man's aura was silver.

"Thanks," The chef said over her shoulder to the man behind her.

"No problem," The man replied as he turned to close the door behind him.

Once the two were inside, Rei looked over smugly at Haruka, who smiled proudly and brought a hand up to squeeze Rei's shoulder, "Way to go, Rei. Good job." Rei beamed as Haruka got up to greet her guests.

"Hey, Mako-chan! Mamoru-kun!" Haruka said happily as she walked towards the two new-comers, "I'm so glad you two could share in this special day with us." She went to her college friend first and gave her a hug, "Thanks for hooking us all up at your hotel, Mako-chan. It really means a lot to me and Michiru."

"O-Of course, Haruka-sempai!," Makoto blushed as she bowed slightly. Though she mostly saw Haruka as a good friend, she couldn't deny that a small part of her always had a small crush on the handsome tomboy ever since Haruka recruited her to their college rugby team her first year, "It's my pleasure."

"And thanks for being here, Mamoru-kun," Haruka said as she turned to the tall, dark-haired man and shook his hand, "It was really important for Michiru to have Odango be her Maid of Honor. It means a lot to me that you also agreed to be one of my groomsmen," Haruka chuckled as she released Mamoru's hand and brought it up to rub the back of her head, "Plus, Michiru couldn't stand the idea of having an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen in the pictures!"

All four of them laughed and Mamoru replied with a winning smile, "It's my pleasure, I'm honored to be a part of it."

"Oh! Shit, where are my manners!?," Haruka exclaimed, "I don't think any of you have met each other yet, huh?" She turned to Rei first, "Mako-chan, Mamoru-kun, this is my best friend and best woman, Hino Rei. She and I grew up together and we're practically sisters." Rei stood up and politely bowed.

"This is Kino Makoto," Haruka said, gesturing to the brunette chef, "We played rugby together in college my last year. She's the Executive Chef of the Elegancia and the one who got us all the really sweet deals on our rooms." Makoto shook hands with Mamoru and nervously bowed towards the gorgeous, raven-haired woman across the room.

"Thank you for the accommodations. It's nice to finally meet you," Rei said in a reserved and polite manner to the brunette who was half-a-head taller than her, "Haruka has told me so much about her time in college, it's nice to put a face to a name."

"L-Likewise," Makoto said nervously as she blushed, "It's the least I could do. I have to say, I-I'm a huge sports fanatic and it's _such_ an honor to meet Haruka-sempai's closest friend and the infamous Flame Sniper in person." Rei nodded politely in acknowledgement.

"And this is Chiba Mamoru," Haruka said, gesturing to the tall man, "I'm sure you've seen him before, he's Odango's long-time boyfriend and one of the top, male supermodels in the country."

"Odango?," Makoto asked curiously.

"Tsukino Usagi," Haruka answered, "I'm sure you've seen her before, too. She's one of the top, female supermodels in the country and one of Michiru's closest friends. She's probably over in Michiru's room right now getting ready."

"Oh, wow!," Makoto said with surprise, "So the rumors _are_ true that you two are dating!? I always thought they just paired you two up all the time for ads because you were top models."

"Yes, we've been going out for years," Mamoru explained, "But our agency thinks it's best to keep that detail a secret for our images. They think we can appeal to a wider audience if we give off the impression we're single and available."

"Wow!," Makoto exclaimed as she turned to Haruka, "Now I see what you meant by needing the extra security. This is quite the star-studded event!"

Rei nodded towards Mamoru, "It's nice to meet you. Haruka's told me about you and Odango many times," she said in a polite yet distant manner, using the nickname she'd heard Haruka use for Usagi for so many years, "I thought the campaign you two did last year for Armani was quite elegantly done. I'm sure you must have enjoyed doing that shoot together."

"Yes we did. Thank you," Mamoru replied with a smile, "I have to confess, I'm with Kino-san in that I'm a fan of yours as well. I actually began my career doing commercial print modeling and did some work for your company for a brief period of time before going into fashion. That gig was actually where I met Usako so it's a real honor to finally meet you." He began walking towards Rei with an outstretched hand. Haruka quickly stepped in front of him before he could reach Rei.

"Rei doesn't shake hands," Haruka said, trying to casually deter Mamoru from getting closer to her best friend. She didn't want anyone getting too close to Rei today, especially since Rei needed all the strength she could spare for later on.

Rei knew Haruka was being over-protective again and rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her stubbornly, _Mataku, I can take care of myself, Haruka!_ Though she felt a little annoyed by Haruka treating her like a baby, she was a little grateful that she didn't have to come in contact with the handsome man, no matter _how_ close of a friend he was to Haruka.

"O-Oh, my apologies, Hino-san," Mamoru said as he bowed towards Rei.

"It's fine, Chiba-san," Rei replied evenly as she nodded. She flicked her hair with her hand, "And it's not my company, it's my father's."

"I-I see," Mamoru nodded. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "W-Well, anyways, it's nice to meet you."

"Ok, then. Shall we?," Haruka said, changing the subject as she walked to the cart and picked up the tray with the four high-ball glasses and ice bucket. She went to the coffee table and set down the tray, "Mako-chan's probably really stressed today since she still has to deliver the champagne to Michi-chan's room, change, _and_ meet with the makeup artist before getting back to the kitchen to make sure everything's ready." She began putting two cubes of ice into each glass.

"H-How did you know?," Makoto asked with surprise. Haruka glanced over to Rei.

"Just a…feeling," Haruka smirked as she winked at Rei. Rei scoffed quietly and rolled her eyes at her best friend.

"U-Ummm, Hino-san?," Makoto said timidly, getting the attention of the intimidating archer, "Haruka-sempai told me I didn't need to bring anything because you would be doing the honors?"

Rei nodded as she reached inside her jacket to the chest pocket. She pulled out a silver flask, wrapped in red leather, and unscrewed the cap. Once Haruka had finished putting ice in the glasses, Rei walked over and carefully poured a shot of auburn liquid into each glass. Mamoru and Makoto approached and the four stood in a circle as Haruka handed out the glasses once all of them were filled. Once they all had a glass, they looked to Rei.

"To love and eternity," Rei said as she lifted her glass, looking at Haruka, "May you always have both with Michiru. Kampai."

"Kampai!," Haruka, Mamoru, and Makoto said as they all clinked their glasses and shot the liquid. Mamoru looked at his glass with pleasant surprise.

"Hmmm," Mamoru said as he smacked his lips softly, "Cinnamon?"

"Fireball Whisky," Rei replied, "It's imported from Canada."

"Good choice!," Makoto complemented.

"Fitting," Haruka smirked snarkily.

"Shut up, Haruka," Rei replied as she refilled Haruka's glass with another shot, "Drink up. This one's for your nerves, you poor bastard. You're a hot mess."

"Whatever, I'm not nervous!," Haruka scoffed indignantly.

"Uh-huh," Rei replied sarcastically under her breath as she put her glass down on the tray. She screwed the cap back on to her flask and returned it to her jacket pocket, "Tell that to your aura."

"Shut up, Rei," Haruka replied as she knocked back the whisky. Rei could see Haruka's aura begin to calm and smiled secretly, satisfied with the knowledge that she was right. Haruka, Mamoru, and Makoto placed their glasses back on the tray and Makoto picked it up and set it back on the cart.

"Ok, I'll see you all in a bit!," Makoto said cheerfully as she wheeled the cart out and left the room.

"Hey, Haru-kun," Mamoru said, turning to Haruka, "I don't mean to impose, but do you mind if I-"

"Sure, go ahead," Haruka said, gesturing to the bedroom, "We'll wake you up when we're about to leave. You can tell me all about the shoot in Australia later. I'm sure you're still jetlagged and I bet Odango made you take care of all her bags today, huh?"

"U-Ummm...yeah," Mamoru replied with slight shock and confusion, "How'd you know?"

Haruka turned to Rei and winked, "Call it a hunch," she said with a smirk. Rei rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms in a huff. She went to the couch and reclaimed the seat she had before Mamoru and Makoto arrived.

"Ok, well…thanks," Mamoru replied as he eyed the two women with a puzzled look. He went to the bedroom and shut the door.

* * *

After half an hour or so, Usagi and Minako were dressed in the same teal outfit that Ami was wearing. The instant Minako stepped out of the bathroom, she went to work expertly setting up her two rolling cases side-by-side. In a matter of seconds, she had her very own professional makeup and hair-styling station.

Her makeup station rivaled the one she had at the store, her collection boasting all possible combinations of colors, shades, and products known to man, allowing her the flexibility to do an infinite number of looks for any imaginable occasion. Her hair-styling station had different hair clips, feathers, ribbons, extensions, brushes, combs, irons, blow dryers and attachments, scissors, razors, clippers with an array of guards and blades, hand-held mirrors of varying sizes, and a vast variety of products used to tease, tame, and color hair to any style.

She quickly dried her hair and tied it up neatly with a satin, teal ribbon to match her dress. Once she finished her own makeup, she had Michiru sit on the couch and worked on her makeup, skillfully pulling from different palettes to go with her complexion and occasion. She used a light spritz of hairspray to hold Michiru's hair in place and added a clip in the shape of a delicate, white rose to keep one side of her bangs out of her eyes. Once she was done, Michiru got up and went to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room to examine herself.

Next, Minako moved on to Ami, who had been waiting patiently next to Michiru on the couch in the curve closest to the entrance. Knowing the petite woman liked keeping her makeup simple, she finished with her fairly quickly and used a curling iron briefly on her bangs. Upon finishing, Ami happily put her glasses back on, curled up on the couch, and picked up where she had left off in reading the latest edition of a thick research journal on genetics. Minako shuddered reflexively at the thought of reading something so utterly boring... _for fun_. But, she was always amazed by how Ami was able to still be engaged with them in conversation while simultaneously reading extremely complex, scientific material.

Minako purposefully saved Usagi for last since she knew her hair would take the longest to put up into her signature buns and twin-tails and she would need to do that before doing her makeup.

All the while, the three women were grilling Minako about the _friend_ she spent the night with. Actually... _Usagi_ grilled her while Michiru and Ami were only able to squeeze in one or two questions of their own. Minako told them about the stunning client that came to Kirei, how she invited herself over to the woman's condo, and how they talked and drank sake for most of the night. She, miraculously, managed to evade questions about any of the more intimate moments of the night. Though Minako was usually open to sharing details about her relationships with her sister and close friends, she had developed quite a protectiveness over Rei and got the sense that the raven-haired beauty would prefer keeping such things private for now.

"Mou, Usa-neechan! Sit still!," Minako scolded as she applied the finishing touches of mascara to her sister's eyelashes, "I don't have time to redo this if you make me mess up!"

"I can't help it! I'm just so excited for you!," Usagi squealed giddily.

"There! Finished!," Minako said triumphantly as she quickly stepped back to allow her sister to bounce off the walls as much as she wanted. She turned to her two stations and packed them up with ease.

"So, when are we going to meet her!? What's her name!?," Usagi asked excitedly. She jumped up from the couch and bounced up and down, clapping her hands.

"U-Ummm, well-," Minanko began nervously.

 ** _Knock, Knock!_**

Before Minako could continue, a knock came from the door, effectively interrupting the conversation. Minako breathed a sigh of relief, _Whew, saved!_

"I'll get that!,"Minako said a little too eagerly as she went to the door. When she opened it, a tall brunette in a chef outfit and chef head wrap entered, wheeling in a room-service cart with a green gown-bag hanging from the handle.

"Thanks," The chef smiled at Minako as she entered, "I was going to key myself in but I would've needed help keeping the door open. I hope I'm not interrupting?"

"Ara, Mako-chan," Michiru said sweetly as she gracefully turned from the mirror to greet the new guest, "Everyone, this is Kino Makoto," she said as she gestured to the brunette, "Haruka was her rugby sempai in college. She's the Executive Chef of the Elegancia and the one that got us the discounts on our rooms."

She gestured towards Usagi, who happened to be standing closest to her, "Mako-chan, meet Aino Usagi. She and I went to college together and she's my Maid of Honor. You might know her better as Tsukino Usagi and as one of the top female supermodels in the country."

"Mmn, it's nice to meet you," Makoto nodded towards Usagi with a shy smile, "I just came from Haruka-sempai's room and met Chiba-san. You two make a really cute couple."

"Thanks!," Usagi beamed as she nodded, "It's nice to meet you too."

Michiru then gestured to Minako, who was closing the front door behind Makoto, "Behind you is Aino Minako, her twin sister. She's the genius makeup artist we mentioned who would be doing our makeup today. She's also a professional cosmetologist and has graciously offered to do our hair as well."

"Nice to meet you," Makoto turned and nodded to Minako who nodded back, "I'll be using your services in a bit if that's ok?"

"Mmn, of course!," Minako replied cheerfully.

"And over here on the couch is Mizuno Ami," Michiru continued, gesturing to the blunette who still had her nose in her book on the couch, "She went to high school with Usagi-chan and Mina-chan and we all became friends after Usagi-chan and I met in college. Ami-chan's studying to be a doctor in the States but is already a well-known scientist in her own right for her research on genetics and DNA."

Ami quickly got to a good stopping point in her reading and stood up as she placed her book down on the couch. As she turned, she took off her glasses and was about to give a polite bow towards the new guest until she fully took in her image. Immediately, Ami's cheeks were painted with a soft blush as her baby-blue eyes locked onto the chef's forest-green eyes.

Being the only person on the other side of the room besides Makoto with a full view of Ami's face, Minako raised an eyebrow as her azure eyes darted from Ami to Makoto. She smiled slyly and cleared her throat loudly.

The abrupt sound caused Ami to jump a little and bring her out of whatever musings she was lost in. Blushing deeply now, she gave a polite bow towards Makoto, "I-It's n-nice to meet you...K-Kino-san," Ami stuttered as she straightened and kept her eyes fixed on the ground in front of her bashfully.

Makoto couldn't respond as she was staring in awe at the petite, shy blunette, practically gaping at her. Minako's playful sapphires darted from Makoto to Ami to Michiru, who was smiling knowingly and winked at Minako from across the room. Being closest to Makoto, Minako smirked as she gently nudged the chef with her elbow.

"O-Oh, sorry! N-Nice to meet you too!," Makoto stammered, turning a shade of pink as she continued to stare at the flushed scientist. After a slight pause, it was Michiru turn to clear her throat.

"Mako-chan, we'll have plenty of time to catch up later tonight. I'm sure you have a lot of things to do downstairs right now," Michiru said sweetly. She gestured towards the bedroom, "Why don't you use my bedroom to change and Mina-chan can do your hair and makeup once you're done?," she suggested.

"Wh-What?...O-Oh! Yeah! Right! Sorry!," Makoto said quickly, shaking her head slightly as she snapped out of her one-way staring contest with Ami, who still had her gaze firmly affixed to the floor, "I-I'll just leave these for you all then. Thanks, Michi-chan."

Michiru nodded as Makoto grabbed her gown-bag and quickly went to the bedroom.

* * *

Once Makoto had closed and locked the door of the bedroom, Minako and Michiru looked at each other and giggled while Ami turned a darker shade of red from embarrassed.

"What's so funny?," Usagi asked. She was dumbfounded as she looked between Minako and Michiru, "Did I miss something?"

"Ara, Usagi-chan, you didn't notice how Mako-chan was smitten by our little Ami-chan?," Michiru asked in a stage whisper.

"WAIT, WHAT!?," Usagi squealed with surprise, "WHEN!? JUST NOW!?"

"Mataku, Usa-neechan," Minako sighed as she facepalmed, "You're so dense sometimes!"

"Mou, Mina-chan!," Usagi whined as she pouted.

"Nevermind, we'll talk about it later. C'mon, let's do this," Minako said, changing the subject to save Ami from anymore embarrassment, _If poor Ami-chan gets any redder, she might pass out!,_ Minako thought.

Minako wheeled the cart to the middle of the room, unscrewed the cage from the champagne cork, and carefully uncorked the bottle. Once she had filled the four flutes, the other three women came to stand around the cart, "Usa-neechan, you should do the honors," Minako suggested.

"Sure," Usagi said cheerfully. She raised her glass, and looked at Michiru, "Michi-chan, we love you and wish you and Haru-chan all the happiness in the world. And, remember, we'll always be here for you so just because you're married doesn't mean you become a stranger, ok?," She winked at Michiru, who smiled and nodded firmly, "Kampai."

"Kampai!," The four women clinked their glasses and sipped their champagne. Minako looked at the clock and quickly put her glass down on the table after taking a sip, "Ok, while Kino-san is changing, I should go over to Haru-chan's room to see if she's ready for me."

"Good idea. She's in the suite that's two-doors down and to the left," Michiru said as Minako grabbed her rolling cases and began wheeling them to the front door, "The key card to that room is the one on the table by the door. Just make sure to bring it back, ok?"

"Yes, ma'am!," Minako replied cheerfully. She grabbed the key card from the table near the door and headed out with her cases in tow.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Cliffhanger, I know. The way the story broke down just happened that way.

Even though there's hints of Ami/Mako, I'm not really going to delve that much deeper into it for this story. Though I think they're a cute pairing, I don't even know where to _begin_ to write about them getting or being together so I'll just leave that to more talented writers.

 _Fun Fact:_ Anyone catch the very subtle ocean-reference for Michiru? For anyone that's curious, the number of rows in the item I'm talking about represents each member in her 'household' including herself to keep them close to her heart ^_^

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	11. Chapter 11

**Author Note:** This was one of my favorite chapters to write. I hope you like it too!

 **Ofuda** = [Japanese] The paper charms that Rei/Sailor Mars uses in the manga, anime, and PGSM.

 **-niichan** = [Japanese] "older brother"

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 11:**

"I think the makeup artist should be here at any moment," Haruka said casually. She had resumed her position standing in front of the full-length mirror, turning and examining her outfit for anything even the _slightest_ bit out of place.

"Ugh," Rei groaned with annoyance as she rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms and allowed herself to fall back into the couch, "I'd rather not."

"I know you always say they overdo it," Haruka replied with a smirk as she pulled at her jacket lapels, "But you always end up looking really good."

"Yeah, if you're into clowns or drag queens," Rei muttered snarkily under her breath. She looked away and huffed, slouching more into the couch. Suddenly, her lavender eyes widened as she felt a mischievous, royal-blue aura approach her from behind the couch.

"I wonder what Michiru will think if I told her you insinuated she looked like a clown or a drag queen," Haruka whispered musingly with an edge of playful teasing into Rei's ear. Rei immediately jumped up from the couch and whipped around to look at Haruka with a hint of panic in her amethyst eyes.

"Don't you _fucking_ dare!," Rei half-yelled, half-pleaded, "That's _not_ what I said and you know it!"

"Hey, you're the one who said if I thought someone looked good it probably means they look like a clown or a drag queen," Haruka said with feigned innocence as she straightened. She casually shrugged, "So, if I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with Michiru, it stands to reason that you must think she looks like a clown or a drag queen, right?"

"B-Baka!," Rei spat. Before she could lunge over the couch and wrestle the race car driver into taking back what she said, Rei immediately froze as she felt a strong pull on her senses that demanded all of her attention. Her violet eyes grew wide as they stared distantly past Haruka. Her heart began to race, _No way! It…It_ _can't_ _be! That means...that means what I felt this_ _whole_ _time was really-_

"Rei? Rei, what is it?," Haruka asked curiously as she saw Rei's eyes glaze over, "Is it the makeup artist?"

 _'Makeup artist'...Holy shit!,_ Rei thought as she blinked herself out of her trance, "Haruka, who is she!?"

"Who? The makeup artist?," Haruka asked with confusion. She raised an eyebrow at Rei and looked at her quizzically, "Shouldn't y _ou_ be tell _me_ who-"

"I mean, how do you know her!?," Rei asked impatiently, _Kami-sama, I can't stop my heart from beating out of my chest!_

"Why?," Haruka asked with concern. She immediately turned serious, "What's going on, Rei? Is something wrong?"

"Damn it, Haruka, just _tell_ me!," Rei snapped in agitation.

"Ok, ok! Easy, Rei," Haruka replied, raising her hands innocently to calm her best friend down, "She's one of Michiru's friends. She's actually Odango's-"

"What's her name!?," Rei interrupted.

"Her name? It's-," Haruka began.

 ** _Knock, Knock!_**

"Kami-sama, it's _really_ her...She's _really_ here," Rei gasped softly, her eyes were glazed again as she sensed the person who was now just beyond the door.

 ** _Shick...Click Click!_**

Rei shook her head slightly, bringing herself out of her trance, and quickly whipped her head to her left, bringing all of her attention to the sound of a key card being slid and the front doors unlocking. Haruka's attention went to the entrance as well as it opened.

* * *

"Haru-chan, I'm here to do your hair and makeup if you're-," Minako began but stopped when she walked half-way through the door and saw…

"...Rei-chan?," Minako gasped softly.

 ** _Crash! Clunk! Thunk, thunk!_**

In her state of shock, the two rolling cases Minako had wheeled in with her slipped from her grasps and made loud, crashing noises as they both hit the ground. The sound went unheard by the beautiful, raven-haired woman and the gorgeous blonde staring at each other from across the room with their mouths open in disbelief.

"Minak-Oof!," Was all Rei could whisper before she had the wind knocked right out of her. She felt herself being forced to fall backwards.

 ** _Thud!_**

Rei found herself on her back, staring at the ceiling, with a familiar weight lying on top of her. As she caught her breath, the scent of strawberries filled her lungs and a warm, orange-gold aura invaded her senses, filling her entire being. She relaxed and exhaled contently. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to fall into its comforting embrace.

"M-Mina-chan!," Haruka exclaimed. One minute, Minako was at the door. The next, she had sprinted towards Rei and pounced on her, causing both women to fall to the ground with Minako lying on top of Rei, her's arms wrapped tightly around Rei's neck. By the time Haruka registered what had happened, she watched in shock and horror as Rei let out a breath and her violet eyes closed.

 _Fuck! Rei must have seen this coming and was trying to warn me!_ , Haruka though to herself in a panic, _Of all people, I didn't think she'd get attacked by_ _Mina-chan_ _! Shit! She's going to_ _kill_ _Rei with her aura at_ _that_ _close of a range!_

Haruka was about to dart around the couch, grab Minako, and forcefully pry her off of Rei until Rei's amethyst eyes shot open and went to Haruka. The archer quickly held her hand up to the race car driver, stopping her dead in her tracks. Haruka was stunned by the intensity in Rei's lavender eyes and the emotions that swirled within them. Though she didn't have Rei's abilities, she felt as if she could read Rei's thoughts through her eyes that said both 'Don't worry' and 'Don't you _dare_ fucking touch her'.

"R-Rei…," Haruka whispered in shock.

"It's ok, Haruka," Rei said calmly with reassurance, "I'm ok."

 _More than ok,_ Rei thought as a smile slowly formed on her lips. Haruka's jaw dropped as she watched Rei close her eyes and gently wrap her arms around the gorgeous blonde.

"Hello, Minako," Rei said softly with a warm tone as she brought her attention back to the smaller woman on top of her.

 _'Minako'?,_ Haruka thought. Not only did Rei know Minako's name, she noted the lacking honorific and it took Haruka by surprise. That was something Rei only did with herself and Michiru, her childhood friends that were practically her older sisters.

"I thought I was going crazy and seeing things," Minako said just as softly and warmly, "But it's _really_ you. You're _really_ here. I'm so happy to see you, Rei-chan."

 _'Rei-chan'?,_ Haruka thought. She shook her head, _What the_ _hell_ _is going on here!?_ All this was getting too confusing for her.

Before Haruka could voice her confusion, Minako shot up to her hands and knees, abruptly breaking out of Rei's embrace, "Wait! What're you doing here!?," Minako exclaimed.

Rei chuckled as she propped herself up on her elbows, "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

A loud, deliberate cough interrupted their conversation. They both turned towards the sound to see an amused Haruka smirking down at the two of them from behind the couch.

"H-Haru-chan!," Minako exclaimed, "I-I didn't notice you standing there!" Her face turned pink as she quickly scrambled to her feet. Rei groaned a little as she got up. Once she was on her feet, she brushed her suit with her hands _._ Thanks to her toned physique, she was able to take the sudden impact from Minako and the collision with the floor fairly well. She quickly stretched the brief soreness out of her muscles once she straightened.

"Well, it seems like I don't need to introduce you two," Haruka said amusingly, "But I guess I should for formality's sake." She looked at Minako as she gestured to Rei, "Mina-chan, meet Hino Rei. She's my best woman and the 'sister' and best friend I've told you about who Michiru and I grew up with. You _might_ have seen her before, she's pretty handy with a bow and arrow."

As Minako slowly turned from Haruka to Rei, her cobalt eyes began to widen. Rei could see the overwhelming shock and realization being emitted from the blonde woman's aura as the pieces began coming together in her mind. She braced herself for the inevitable.

"HOLY _FUCKING_ SHIT! YOU'RE THE FLAME SNIPER! THE OLYMPIC ARCHER, HEIR TO, AND SPOKESPERSON FOR HINO SPORTING ENTERPRISE!," Minako screamed in shock. Rei, being closest to Minako, got the brunt of her screaming. She winced at the pain in her ears and at Minako's almost overwhelmingly blinding aura as it radiated with shock.

"MINA-CHAN!," Haruka scolded in her 'dad' voice, "There's _absolutely no_ need to yell!"

Minako, realizing what she had done, turned bright red and covered her mouth with her hands, "S-Sorry," Minako said in a more reasonable volume. She couldn't stop staring wide-eyed at Rei, who was blushing nervously and found the floor very interesting to look at.

Haruka facepalmed, "Mataku, Mina-chan! Sometimes you're just as bad as Odango."

"Mou, Haru-chan!," Mina whined as she turned towards Haruka with a huff, "I was just surprised, that's all. You _know_ I'm not as bad as Usa-neechan!"

Rei's head shot up and she stared wide-eyed at Minako, "'Odango'?…'Usa-neechan'?…," Rei whispered mostly to herself but loud enough for Haruka and Minako to hear.

"And that takes us to the other half of the introductions," Haruka continued. She looked at Rei as she gestured to Minako, "Rei, this is Aino Minako. When you asked me earlier how I knew her, I was trying to tell you she's one of Michiru's friends and Odango's sister. She's the genius makeup artist who's going to be doing our makeup today."

Haruka couldn't see it, but Minako had caught on that Rei had stopped listening. Her amethyst eyes clearly showed that she was beginning to putting two and two together on her own. It was Minako's turn to brace herself for the inevitable.

"Usa-nee... _US_ _AGI_ -NEECHAN!? _SUPERMODEL_ USAGI!? YOU'RE TSUKINO USAGI'S TWIN SISTER!," Rei screamed in shock. Minako, took a step back, wincing as she covered her ears with her hands.

"REI!," Haruka scolded, using her 'dad' voice again, "Damn it, you two! Calm _the fuck_ down!"

"Y-Yeah, s-she's my-OW!," Minako began hesitantly but was quickly interrupted by the sensation of sharp pain coming from both sides of her head where Rei had grabbed handfuls of hair and held her blonde locks up so they looked like twin-tails. Haruka couldn't help but burst into a fit of loud laughter at the sight.

"Holy shit," Rei whispered. Her eyes were still wide with shock as she loosened her grip and took a slight step back, "You two really _are_ twins."

"Mou, Rei-chan!," Minako chided as she swatted Rei's hands away. She took a step back and quickly smoothed out her hair, "I _just_ did my hair! Couldn't you have just read my aura like you did last night to see if it was true!?"

Haruka's roaring laughter came to an abrupt halt, "Wait…'last night'?"

Rei and Minako froze. They slowly turned to look at the tall tomboy nervously, who was staring at the two women, her dark-blue eyes growing wide as her jaw dropped.

"Oh, fuck," Rei and Minako whispered at the same time. Both were able to cover their ears in time.

"NO _FUCKING_ WAY!," Haruka screamed as she looked to Rei and gestured towards Minako, " _SHE'S_ THE SEXY, BLONDE BOMBSHELL YOU MET WHO STAYED AT YOUR PLACE YESTERDAY WHEN YOU WENT TO GET MY TUX!?"

"BAKA!," Rei yelled fiercely as she vaulted over the couch. As she was airborne, she used her momentum to sock Haruka in the shoulder, hard.

"OW!," Haruka yelled.

"SERVES YOU RIGHT FOR RUNNING YOUR MOUTH, ASSHOLE!," Rei snapped as she landed easily and spun to glare at her best friend, readying herself for a potential counterattack. She could feel her face was deeply flushed with embarrassment. Her lavender eyes nervously caught a glimpse of Minako behind Haruka. The gorgeous blonde had covered her mouth with her hands and turned a shade of beet-red.

 ** _...knock, knock..._**

As if on cue, the sound of a soft knocking came from the front doors, effectively interrupting the scene. The three women turned towards that direction as one of the doors slowly opened.

* * *

A child, no older than eight years old, with shoulder-length hair as dark as Rei's and clear, deep-purple eyes peeked her head into the room shyly.

"Haruka-papa? Is...Is everything ok?," The child said with concern in a soft voice as clear as a bell, "I heard a lot of yelling."

"H-Hotaru," Haruka said softly with surprise. She quickly composed herself as she beamed at her 'adopted daughter' with a wide smile, "Yeah, everything's fine, kiddo. Did you come all the way up here just to see me?"

"Mmn," Hotaru nodded shyly, "I wanted to see you and Michiru-mama. I was going to use the key, but the door was propped open by these big boxes." She gestured toward the rolling cases on the floor that Minako had dropped earlier, "I can...I can come back if you're busy."

Haruka knelt down so that she was closer to Hotaru's height. She opened her arms towards the child, "I'm _never_ too busy for you, Hotaru. Come in, I'm glad you came to see me."

The girl's deep-purple eyes lit up as a smile graced her angelic face. She carefully pushed the door open wider, revealing the simple, white, flower girl dress she was wearing that had a dark-purple sash tied around the waist. She ran into Haruka's arms and wrapped her small arms around the race car driver's neck. A sweet giggle came from the girl as Haruka hugged her tightly and picked her up from the ground. Once Haruka straightened, she used one arm to support the girl's weight while she rested her other hand on her back, holding her steady. When Hotaru released her hold from Haruka's neck and pulled away to look at her 'adopted papa', Haruka smiled,

"So, have you been helping Setsuna-mama a lot downstairs?," Haruka asked, referring to her and Michiru's housemate and wedding planner, Meiou Setsuna. Setsuna and Michiru had been paired together as roommates their first year of college and hit it off so well that they continued to be roommates for the rest of their time at school.

Tomoe Hotaru was the daughter of Setsuna's older sister, making her Setsuna's biological niece. Hotaru's father, Tomoe Souichi, was a famous scientist who died tragically in a laboratory explosion shortly after Hotaru was born, leaving her mother, Tomoe Keiko, to care for Hotaru on her own as a single mother. During Setsuna's second year of college, Keiko found out she had Pancreatic cancer. Since she was required to stay overnight at the hospital for treatment quite often, she would leave Hotaru in Setsuna's care each time. Setsuna loved her niece and looked after her as if she were her own.

As time went on and Keiko had to be hospitalized for longer periods of time, Michiru and Haruka stepped up and helped Setsuna care for Hotaru while they all continued their schooling. Sadly, in their last year of college, Setsuna's sister passed away and arranged for Setsuna to be the official guardian of her only child.

As graduation drew nearer for Setsuna, Michiru, and Haruka, they began planning their separate futures. Hotaru, having grown accustomed to being cared for by her three 'adopted parents' whom she adored more than anything in the world, made a passing comment about wishing they could all stay together forever so she wouldn't have to say goodbye to yet another parent. From then on, there was no question in the three women's minds that they would all live together and continue to raise Hotaru as a family of sorts once they graduated, which they did.

"Yes, Haruka-papa," Hotaru replied happily, "She told me to come tell everyone that we have 30 minutes before we have to start."

"Thank you, Hotaru," Haruka smiled, "Did you already tell Michiru-mama?"

"Mmn!," Hotaru replied with an enthusiastic nod, "I saw her and she's _so_ pretty!"

"She always is," Haruka said warmly as she brought a finger to tap Hotaru once playfully on the nose. She planted a big kiss on Hotaru's cheek before setting her back down on the floor, "Thank you for being such a good helper today. You remember Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama's friends, right?" She asked as she looked towards Rei, who had landed to her right after her vault, and Minako to her left, who was still standing at the front of the couch. Both women had also quickly collected and composed themselves when Hotaru appeared at the door.

"Mmn!," Hotaru replied with a firm nod. She smiled as she turned to Minako and bowed politely, "Good afternoon, Mina-neechan!"

"Good afternoon, Hotaru-chan," Minako smiled as she nodded back, "Have you been practicing the makeup tips I showed you last time?"

"Mmn!," Hotaru nodded proudly as she straightened, "Can you do my makeup like you did for Michiru-mama? I want to look just a pretty as her today!"

"Of course!," Minako replied. Hotaru smiled as she then turned to Rei and bowed politely.

"Good afternoon, Rei-niichan!," Hotaru greeted cheerfully.

"Good afternoon, Firefly," Rei nodded with a smile towards her 'adopted niece', using the pet-name she had for her.

"Do we have time right now for you to do that thing?," Hotaru asked excitedly as she straightened.

Rei smirked, "I think so. But you have to help me, ok?"

"Mmn!," Hotaru nodded eagerly as she ran over to Rei, who knelt down so she was at eye-level with Hotaru. Rei brought her hands to Hotaru's small shoulders, turning her so that they were side-by-side and facing the double-door entrance.

"This should be enough space," Rei said as she examined the area between them and the doors, which only had carpet and no furniture obstructions. She turned to Hotaru and asked, "So, what is it that you want today?"

"Ummm…a hummingbird!" Hotaru said excitedly.

Rei smiled, "Ok, a hummingbird it is then."

* * *

Haruka walked around the couch to stand next to Minako and out of the way, "You have to see this. Rei used to do this at the shrine for the kids during festivals," Haruka whispered to Minako proudly.

"What?," Minako whispered curiously, "What is she going to do?"

"You'll see," Haruka winked. Minako watched as Rei kept one hand gently on Hotaru's shoulder while her other hand reached into her pocket and brought out what looked like a small ofuda that fit in the palm of her pale hand. Rei closed her eyes and began whispering inaudibly over it.

"Rei's always been good with kids," Haruka whispered, "It's so cute to see her around them."

As Minako watched, she began to chuckle, "When Rei mentioned she grew up with her grandfather and two friends who ended up getting together. I would have _never_ guessed it was you and Michi-chan," Minako said softly, "But it makes _so_ much sense now since she said one of them was like a big sister and the other was more of a big brother since she was kind of a jock."

Haruka chuckled softly, "Mmn, we've known each other most of our lives because of our parents," she whispered. She leaned a little closer to Minako, "Rei told me you two had quite the intense getting-to-know-you session last night and-"

"Nothing happened," Minako quickly interrupted in a hushed whisper as she blushed, "We just talked, that's all."

"I know," Haruka replied softly, "She told me you two talked the whole night and you slept over because it was so late." Minako breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the Gods for her previous intuition of keeping the more intimate details of last night's events private from Usagi, Michiru, and Ami, "It sounds like she told you a lot about herself already, so this'll be a lot easier for me to say to you."

Minako turned and looked at Haruka with a puzzled expression. She watched as Haruka's face fell slightly, her dark-blue eyes still trained on Rei, "She…didn't really have a family or friends other than us and her grandfather growing up. Mostly it was because of her abilities and…because her father is a fucking asshole. Rei's like our little sister so Michiru and I are really protective of her and try to watch over her."

She turned towards Minako, "There was this one incident when she was in elementary school. A new transfer student in her class was running late and, when she rounded the corner of the classroom door, ran into and fell on top of Rei. It was such a strain on Rei that she was unconscious for more than a day. When you tackled her earlier, I was about ready to throw you across the room if she hadn't've stopped me." Haruka smiled softly, "She must _really_ like you to let you be that close to her and share so much with you."

Minako blushed at the comment. Haruka turned serious as she continued, her dark-blue eyes filled with deep concern as she whispered, "I know you two just met last night and it seems like you two hit it off extremely well, but...I guess what I'm trying to say is…well…you know I love you, Mina-chan, but I know you've been in quite a few relationships. Rei hasn't and she's not like anyone you've ever met before. She's different. No...not different, she's special. And she's someone really important to me and Michiru. So, if you _ever_ hurt her, you'll have to answer to both of us. And you know how _Michiru_ can get when she's mad."

Oh, did Minako know. Not that she ever did anything to invoke the wrath of the teal-haired woman who always had infinite patience for those she cared about, but she _had_ seen glimpses of it throughout the years. Michiru was infamous for dealing out severe punishments towards those who wrong her or her friends. It's what made her such a great friend, but it could also become a deadly curse if you ever got on her bad side.

"You're right," Minako replied softly as she glanced over at the raven-haired woman, "I haven't known Rei-chan all that long. Hell, I've only known her for less than a day." She brought her sapphire gaze to meet Haruka's straight on, "But there are two things I know for certain, that I'm very well aware of," she said with confidence, "One, is how special Rei-chan is and, two, if you didn't notice by that flying-leap I did on her earlier, is the fact that I really like her too."

Her brow furrowed as she turned her gaze back towards the beautiful archer again, "I like her a lot, Haru-chan. I really do and I don't _ever_ _intend_ on hurting her. But...I also can't make any promises. I mean, we _literally_ just started dating, you know?"

"...I guess that's fair enough," Haruka smiled, satisfied with Minako's sincere and honest answer as she turned back to look at her best friend, "But I don't think you know how special she really is. At least, not until you see this."

A thought came to Minako as she watched Rei and Hotaru, "Hey, Haru-chan? Rei _did_ mention that you all were really protective of her getting close to people because of her abilities. Why is it then that you're letting her be near Hotaru-chan?"

"From what Rei's grandfather and Michiru told me, it's because children's auras aren't as strong as adults," Haruka whispered, "They're auras are also more pure so sometimes it's even healing or energizing for her to be around children. I think that's why she's so good with them. Once Hotaru turns 13, that'll change. Her aura will become mature enough that it'll no longer have that healing affect on Rei and, instead, could potentially drain her."

"If that's the case, when her classmate ran into her, why was she taken out so hard?," Minako asked curiously.

"Because their auras were at the same…wavelength, so to speak," Haruka explained, "Plus, at the time, Rei was still learning to control her abilities without letting it overpower her so she wasn't as strong as she is now. It wasn't until _she_ turned 13 that her grandpa even allowed her to get involved with activities at school or with the shrine festivals because he was afraid of all the kids running around and possibly hurting her again."

Haruka sighed as she watched her best friend, "To the world, Rei comes off as really curt and cold, but it's mostly a defense mechanism because of her abilities. Once she lets someone in, her love and loyalty runs really deep. I mean, you can see it right now with Hotaru. I saw it when she stopped me from taking you out. It's one of her best traits."

"One of many," Minako giggled to herself as she thought back to yesterday's interaction at Kirei.

"Shh, here it comes," Haruka whispered excitedly.

* * *

Rei opened her eyes and, smiling warmly, she turned to Hotaru, "Alright, go ahead. Just do it gently so it doesn't go out too quickly, ok?" She brought her hand with the ofuda up in front of Hotaru's face. Hotaru nodded and blew gently on the thin sheet of paper. It wavered from the movement of air and soon became airborne, blowing out of Rei's hand.

As it left Rei's hand, it slowly ignited and became a small ball of fire that floated in midair. Minako was in awe as she watched Rei carefully lower her hand and slowly take a deep breath. The raven-haired beauty blew gently on the small ball of fire and it moved forward a few feet. As it did, the ball began to unravel into the shape of a small, fiery hummingbird.

Hotaru squealed and clapped her hands with delight. The hummingbird's wings were beating rapidly as it darted forward, to the left, then to the right a few inches each way, leaving a small trail of white smoke that disappeared quickly in its wake. It then turned back around and flew within a foot of Rei and Hotaru before it paused and hovered in front of them. Rei glanced over at Minako from the corner of her eye and gave her a mischievous half-smile before she looked back to the fiery creature. Minako watched with confusion and a hint of nervousness as Rei lifted a finger and pointed towards Minako.

The hummingbird turned its head towards Minako and quickly crossed the room until it stopped within a foot from her at eye-level with her wide, azure eyes. Minako was mesmerized by the sight of the little hummingbird hovering in front of her. After a brief couple seconds, the small creature took a small, polite bow before it fizzled into white smoke and disappeared into thin air.

Minako blinked a few times to bring herself back. She was speechless. Her sapphire gaze went back to the raven-haired woman who wore a soft smile and was blushing slightly. Rei's intense, amethyst eyes were looking back at her as if seeing through to her very soul. Hotaru clapped her hands and gave Rei a big hug.

"That was _so_ cool, Rei-niichan!," She squealed. Rei hugged Hotaru back but never broke her gaze from Minako.

"What did I tell you?," Haruka whispered proudly as she leaned over to Minako.

"…Wow," Minako whispered, not taking her gaze off of Rei. Her heart was beating so hard she barely heard Haruka speaking to her.

To the others in the room, they saw a fiery hummingbird fly in front of Minako and disappear. To Minako, she saw something else.

When the hummingbird was hovering in front of her, she saw a fiery creature with a palpable strength of will, wanting to continue burning strongly. But it was also a delicate, gentle, and hesitant creature. It looked as if it wanted to reach out to Minako, to hover closer, but something held it back. As Minako looked at Rei now, she didn't see the image of an archer who would occasionally grace magazines ads or television commercials. She didn't see a miko with a gift that allowed her to read people's auras, psychically read thoughts, and make fire come to life. In those lavender eyes, she saw that same, fiery strength of will, that same delicate, gentle, yet hesitant creature.

Yes, Haruka was right, Rei _was_ special...so _very_ special. She felt herself becoming lost in the beautiful, raven-haired woman's intense gaze.

* * *

Though Rei was hugging her 'adopted niece' and could feel her giddy, playful, dark-purple aura exuding an unconditional love that only children could give, all of her attention was on the gorgeous blonde who stood only a few feet away. Rei knew that a small part of her aura needed to be infused with the ofuda in order to create such magical, fiery creatures like the hummingbird she just made. At first, when she commanded the hummingbird to visit Minako, she was just trying to impress the gorgeous blonde. Thinking about it now, she realized she was subconsciously hoping her aura would reach Minako in some way.

Rei received a lot of love and support from her grandfather, Haruka, and Michiru growing up and she felt forever indebted to them for that. But, even with that, she still harbored deep wounds about being so different. Not special, but different. Yeah, sure, she liked being able to use her abilities when it came in handy or to make those closest to her heart happy, like the young girl who was hugging her so tightly right now.

But, in the end, she was always the mysterious miko who lived at a shrine and had unnatural powers that most at school stayed away from out of fear. She was the psychic fortune-teller who was used by those who visited the shrine for their selfish questions on future, fortune, and love. She was the unwanted daughter, her very existence overlooked or, at the very least, seen as a nuisance by her own father who used her as a pawn for his own selfish, business means. She was the perfect, glamorous, archery ace, spokesperson, and heir to one of the largest companies in the country who had to keep up appearances and could never let her guard down, who everyone treated like royalty, or a star, or untouchable. Even her grandfather and her 'sisters', thought unintentionally, treated her with kid-gloves like a porcelain doll which only underscored how different she really was from the rest of the world.

All she ever, truly wanted in life was to feel normal, to be treated like everyone else and to be seen, to be _really_ seen, for who she was beyond the abilities, beyond the façade she was forced to live, beyond the walls she was forced to build, beyond her successes and social status.

And, in this brief moment, Rei saw it in the depths of Minako's captivating, cerulean eyes. There was no fear, no ulterior motives, no pity, no frivolous, superficial admiration she would see in annoying fans who _thought_ they knew her but were _gravely_ mistaken. In the addictive, orange-gold sanctuary that radiated from the gorgeous blonde where Rei only recently discovered pure solace, she saw it glowing strongly with…pure and utter adoration.

She was no longer an archer, a pawn, a porcelain doll, a freak, a nuisance. In that moment, Rei felt special. She knew in her heart that Minako saw her…and what she saw...was Rei.

* * *

The looks Rei and Minako were giving each other didn't escape Haruka's notice, _Less than 24 hours and they're already falling so hard for each other. They're practically head over heels!_ She smiled to herself, seeing how happy Rei looked as she stared at Minako and how infatuated Minako was with staring at Rei.

The two were interrupted when Haruka called to Hotaru, "Ok, kiddo, what do you say to Rei?"

"Thank you, Rei-niichan!" Hotaru sang.

"Your very welcome, Firefly," Rei replied, bringing her attention back to her 'adopted niece'.

 ** _Knock, Knock!_**

Just then, a knock came and the front door opened. A woman, who was the same height as Michiru, with tanned skin, long, dark-green hair, and the same deep-purple eyes as Hotaru peeked her head in.

"There you are, Hotaru!," the attractive woman said, "I was wondering where you ran off to, you were gone for so long."

"Setsuna-mama!," Hotaru said cheerfully, "You just missed one of Rei-niichan's fire tricks!"

"Aww, that's too bad. Perhaps next time, Rei-kun?," Setsuna replied with a soft smile as she came in the room. She wore a flattering, pinstripe, black suit with a green blouse that matched her hair.

"Mmn, of course," Rei replied with a smile and nod as she stood up.

"Hotaru said we had about 30 minutes or so?," Haruka asked as she looked to Setsuna.

"More like 20 now," Setsuna replied, "I was just coming up to check in with Mina-chan." She turned towards Minako, "Michiru told me that you were still working on hair and makeup. Do you need a little more time?"

"No, I'm good," Minako replied reassuringly, "Mamoru-kun told me earlier today that he wanted to do his own hair so I just have Haru-chan, Rei-chan, and Kino-san left. It shouldn't take that long so we'll be ready to go downstairs on time."

"Me too, me too!," Hotaru said jumping up and down.

"Sorry, Hotaru," Setsuna said apologetically, reaching out a hand towards Hotaru, "I need you to come downstairs with me so Mina-chan can finish helping everyone get ready. C'mon, hun."

"Awww," Hotaru responded disappointedly. Minako smiled as she walked towards the crestfallen child and knelt down to her level.

"I promise when I'm done here I'll bring my things downstairs and do your makeup right before we start, ok?," Minako said cheerfully with a wink.

Hotaru's eyes lit up and she hugged Minako tightly, "Thanks, Mina-neechan!"

"No problem, Hotaru-chan," Minako replied kindly as she returned Hotaru's hug, "Now, be a good girl and go with Setsuna-mama downstairs, ok?"

"Mmn! See you soon!," Hotaru replied happily as she pulled away and ran towards Setsuna who took her hand and they both left the room.

* * *

Minako stood back up and sighed. The three women looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Well… _that_ was quite the whirlwind of events, wasn't it?," Haruka sighed tiredly, breaking the silence and referring to the events that transpired since Minako entered the room. She shook her head, "What a small, fucking world."

"Mmn," Minako agreed with a soft nod. She began fidgeting with her hands and looking at the floor, blushing from embarrassment from the earlier events.

"No kidding," Rei sighed, running her hand through her long, silky hair.

Before anyone could say anything else, the bedroom doors opened and a groggy-looking Mamoru walked into the room towards the three women, "Man, what the hell was all that noise?," he yawned as he rubbed his eyes, "Is it time already?"

 ** _Knock, Knock!_**

At that same moment, the front door opened and Makoto peeked her head into the room.

"Aino-san, I wanted to see if you were ready for me?," Makoto asked.

Haruka facepalmed and groaned tiredly, "Rei, give me your flask. I think I'm going to need a little more."

"Me first," Rei groaned. She already had her hand in her jacket, reaching to retrieve the container. Once she pulled it out, she quickly unscrewed the cap and took a big swig. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she handed the flask over to Haruka, who took two big swigs.

 _So_ _that's_ _the best friend who taught Rei how to drink,_ Minako giggled to herself as she watched the two.

"U-Ummm," Makoto asked as she eyed Rei and Haruka with puzzlement, "Is…Is this a bad time?"

"No, no. Come on in, Kino-san," Minako replied, taking command of the situation. She ran to the door and collected her rolling cases, "It'll be easier for me to work quickly having you all in one place." Makoto followed Minako into the room, wearing the same outfit as Rei and Mamoru.

Minako quickly set up her stations in front of the couch. She pulled out a comb and turned to Mamoru, "Mamoru-kun, you should head downstairs," Minako said to the supermodel as she tossed the comb to him, which he caught with ease, "We have less than 20 minutes."

"Mmn, got it. See you all down there," Mamoru said as he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"As much as I hate to break up this frat party," Minako giggled as she spoke to Rei and Haruka who were still passing the flask back and forth between each other, "I've got work to do. Kino-san, I'll do your hair and makeup first so you can go down and check on the kitchen before we start. Haru-chan, you'll be next and we'll go downstairs."

"Wait, what about me?," Rei asked with confusion as she took the flask from Haruka, screwed the cap back on, and returned it to her coat pocket.

"I taught you how to do your own makeup yesterday, didn't I?," Minako said teasingly, "Were you really _that_ distracted by me or are you just looking to score more one-on-one tutoring, teacher's pet?"

Haruka chuckled as Rei's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. Minako smiled as she felt the tension in the room begin to lift, "I'll get to you last, ok Rei-chan?"

"M-Mmn," Rei replied shyly. As Minako began working on Makoto, a proud smile graced Rei's lips as she watched Minako do what she did best.

* * *

 **Author Note:** And so, they meet again. Leave it to Minako to take charge of a situation. Such a good leader ^_^

I read once that it's not really polite to address a young woman as " **oba** " (aunt) in that it implies that they're matronly or something. So even though Minako and Rei would technically be considered Hotaru's aunts since they're of her 'adopted parents' generation, I decided to have Hotaru address Minako as an older sister instead since they're only 13 years apart.

The same goes for Rei, but since Rei takes a little after Haruka and Hotaru calls her "papa", I figured Hotaru would anoint Rei with an honorific that aligned with her young ideas of gender. I hope that makes sense!

I've also noticed that this site doesn't allow me to put in full URLs so I can't adequately cite websites I used. So I've included how to search for it on your own if you wanted to.

Japanese name suffix. (n.d.). In _Sensei's Library_. Retrieved September 6, 2013, from ?JapaneseNameSuffix (type "sensei's library Japanese name suffix" into your search engine and it should be the first link)

 _Fun Fact:_ I'm sure most Sailor Moon fans know, but the word " **hotaru** " means "firefly" in hiragana. Fitting pet-name since Rei's such a pyro ^_^ Also, " **odango** " means "dumpling" in Japanese and is a nickname often associated with Usagi in Sailor Moon due to her unique hairstyle.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	12. Chapter 12

**Author Note:** Another information-dense chapter like Chapter 7. Well, at least the end of this chapter is.

 **Senshi** = [Japanese] "soldier", "warrior", "guardian", or "fighter". When referring to people, I use it more as "guardian". When referring to other things, it's more "warrior" or "fighter".

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 12:**

Since Makoto would have to go back into the kitchen from time to time during the event, Minako decided it would be best to put her long, slightly wavy, brown hair up in a high ponytail to keep it out of the way as well as meet food-safety regulations. Fearing a hair ribbon could potentially get caught on something, Minako opted to use an elastic hair tie to hold most of Makoto's hair up and in place. Wanting to still be within the color-scheme of the wedding, she chose one with two, teal, spherical beads from her hair-styling supply.

Even though Makoto's hair had to be put up, it didn't mean she couldn't have _some_ flare, right? Minako allowed two strips of hair to flow freely down either side of Makoto's face and used a curling iron and a quick dusting of hair spray to keep them in place. Once she finished with Makoto's makeup, which she kept simple, she straightened and stepped back to examine her work,

"Ok, I think you're good, Kino-san," Minako said cheerfully with an approving nod. _I hope Ami-chan approves also!,_ she giggled to herself.

"Great! Thanks, Aino-san!," Makoto replied as she got up from the couch and walked towards the full-length mirror to examine herself.

"You're up, Haru-chan," Minako called towards Haruka, who was at the bar, happily munching on some veggies.

"Oh, coming!," Haruka said as she quickly swallowed the carrot she was chewing on before she began laughing, "Haha! That's what _she_ said!"

Rei, who was standing next to Haruka, leaning against the bar and enjoying some fruit, rolled her eyes and shoved her best friend towards the couch with one hand, "Rude," she chided evenly.

"Oh, c'mon, Rei. You _know_ you were thinking it, too," Haruka said playfully over her shoulder as she went to the couch and sat down. Rei scoffed and returned to picking at the fruit platter.

"You're such a twelve-year-old boy, Haru-chan," Minako chided playfully as she shook her head and began quickly styling the race car driver's short, thick, blonde hair with a small amount of hair wax, "How does Michi-chan put up with you?"

"She can't resist my killer smile and charming wit," Haruka said with a smirk. She shrugged casually as she sighed dramatically, "No one can, really. It's a gift." She looked at Minako and wagged her eyebrows flirtatiously, "Want to put it to the test, Mina-chan?," she asked mischievously with a playful tone.

"Pass," Minako replied with playful disinterest as she began applying Haruka's makeup, "Both of us are too young to die and I wouldn't want to put poor Rei-chan in a position where she'd have to explain to little Hotaru-chan why her Michiru-mama had to go to jail for double murder."

She glanced up at Rei briefly, whose eyes were trained on the fruit platter as she push the pieces casually around with a fork, trying to pretend she wasn't intently listening in on their conversation. Minako blushed slightly before her gaze returned to Haruka as she continued with her makeup, "Plus, I'm already seeing someone with an amazing gift of her own," she said in a softer tone.

She glanced up at Rei again and saw a slight blush appear on the archer's pale cheeks. A small, bashful smile began pulling at the corner of her alluring lips. Minako smiled softly at the sight.

Haruka smirked knowingly as she watched Minako sneak glances over her shoulder at her best friend, "Good answer," she whispered approvingly, bringing Minako out of her musings.

Minako cleared her throat softly as she brought her attention back to Haruka, "Now, shut up and sit still so I can finish," she chided firmly.

"Yes, ma'am," Haruka chuckled obediently. Minako smiled to herself as she heard a smooth voice chuckle softly from the direction of the bar.

* * *

By the time Minako began working on Rei, she had only used up nine of the twenty minutes Setsuna had provided. She decided to let Rei's dark mane flow naturally down her back and so was able to immediately begin working on the archer's makeup. As she worked, she noticed Makoto was standing anxiously near the front doors, checking her watch every few moments. Haruka, on the other hand, was standing near the couch with her arms crossed and her head tilted as she watch with subtle interest as Minako worked on Rei.

"You guys don't have to wait for us, you know," Minako said, addressing Makoto and Hakura as she continued to work, "Especially you, Kino-san. I'm almost done so you two can go ahead. We should be right behind you."

"Sounds good!," Makoto said a little too eagerly with a hint of relief underlying her tone as she checked her watch yet again and turned towards the front doors, "Thanks again, Aino-san. I'll see you all soon!," she called over her shoulder as she opened the door quickly and walked out.

Haruka stayed where she was. A sly, knowing smirk pulled at her lips and she chuckled, "Maybe I should stay and chaperone the two of you?," she said teasingly as she eyed Minako, who was still focused on applying makeup to Rei's face, and Rei, who was sitting patiently on the couch, "I don't want to have to tell Setsuna and Michiru why we have to start the ceremony late if you two decide to get frisky now. They'd probably kill both of you and have my head for good measure."

"Mou, Haruka!," Rei said with irritation as a dark blush formed on her cheeks from embarrassment, "Shut the _fuck_ up and _go_!"

"Mou, Haru-chan!," Minako said with annoyance as she straightened and began fanning Rei's face with her hand, "I won't be able to get Rei-chan's makeup right if you keep hanging around making her blush like this!"

"Haha! Sorry!," Haruka laughed.

"Anyways, I need you to go downstairs and tell Setsuna-chan that we'll be done on time so she doesn't get worried," Minako said as she turned to get a different palette from her makeup station, "We'll be down once I finish with Rei-chan and pack a few things to bring with me for Hotaru-chan." She paused for a moment, "That is, unless Rei-chan tries to get fresh with me," she said teasingly. She turned and winked playfully over her shoulder at the archer, "Try to restrain yourself, ok, Rei-chan? We're in a time crunch here."

"H-Hey!," Rei said with feigned annoyance as she began blushing more.

"I thought you said you couldn't work on her if she's blushing," Haruka said accusingly with a hint of playfulness.

"She's already blushing so I might as well take advantage of the moment and get some good teasing in, right?," Minako giggled in reply as she returned to her makeup station and continued rummaging through her collection.

"Damn opportunist," Rei mumbled under her breath as she turned away and let out an exasperated scoff.

Haruka chuckled at her best friend's expense, _She totally knows how to cut through Rei's defenses. I would have never thought of it, but Mina-chan's_ _absolutely_ _perfect_ _for Rei!_

"Ok, you crazy kids," Haruka continued to chuckle as she turned to the door. She opened it and walked out, "See you soon!"

* * *

"Alright, now for the eye shadow," Minako said as the door clicked shut behind Haruka, "Close your eyes."

Rei huffed but obeyed, expecting to feel a soft eye shadow sponge slide across her eyelids. Instead, Rei felt lips hungrily pressing against her own. Soft, familiar hands came up to cup Rei's face, tilting her head back slightly, urging her to deepen the kiss. The couch shifted beneath her as Rei felt the smaller woman climb on top of her, straddling her with her knees. Teeth gently raked Rei's lower lip desperately while a needy tongue begged for access. Rei's senses were filled with the hint of strawberries as an overwhelming orange-gold wave surge through her. Giving in to the sudden sensations, Rei parted her lips, allowing their tongues to explore each other's delicious taste. Rei brought one hand up to caress the back of Minako's neck, pulling her closer. Her other hand had found a place on Minako's hip and began massaging sensually.

When the passionate kiss ended, Minako rested her forehead on Rei's, panting for air. Rei, who was also breathless and panting heavily, slowly opened her rare, violet eyes to take in the image of the gorgeous blonde panting above her. Minako's eyes were still closed as she tried to catch her breath and calm down. Rei's eyes widened as she took in Minako's aura, which was flaring like an orange-gold flame around her lithe body. It was so intense, Rei half-expected...maybe even half-hoped?...for it to burn like a real fire.

As Rei watched, captivated by this new form Minako's aura took on, she felt a struggle within that beautiful aura. There was a fierce, fiery passion at its brink being combated by a restraint that was struggling desperately to keep it under control. As she analyzed it more, it slowly became clearer to Rei that _she_ was the reason behind the struggle. She was slightly taken aback by the knowledge of how strongly she affected the gorgeous blonde.

"Thank the _Gods_ , I thought they would _never_ leave," Minako panted softly as she licked her lips, "I've been wanting to kiss you since I walked in the room."

Rei chuckled at Minako's words, "So, Aino-san," she said teasingly, allowing the hand she had on Minako's neck to fall and rest on her other hip, "Do you make it a habit of making out with your clients _while_ you're working?"

Minako smirked, "Only clients I find sexy as hell, Hino-san," she quipped. Minako slowly opened her dazzling, sapphire eyes and quickly became mesmerized by Rei's intense, amethyst eyes that stared back at her, "And you're the only client I have that fits the bill."

Rei watched as Minako's breathing gradually slowed as she regained composure over herself, her aura returning to its familiar, warm glow, "Plus," Minako continued, "It's not my fault your kisses are so addictive."

"So, tell me, Aino-san, _which_ _one_ of us has to exercise restraint?," Rei challenged teasingly as she smirked.

"Shut up, Rei-chan," Minako chided playfully. As Rei giggled in response, Minako brought her hands down to Rei's shoulders and pushed herself back so she was sitting up, "You sick of my aura yet?," she asked playfully.

"Never," Rei replied with a smile, "And, if you want to talk about addictive, your aura should come with a government warning label."

"Flirt," Minako said coyly, "But I'm glad you're still ok with me being this close to you because you're really comfortable and I don't want to get up just yet."

"Sounds good to me," Rei said. She leaned in slightly as a sly smile pulled at her lips, "Plus, I kind of _like_ having you on top," she said in a low, suggestive tone.

Minako froze and closed her eyes tightly, taking deep, slow breaths through her nose as she bit her lip. Rei saw Minako's aura flare briefly as she felt the muscles in Minako's thighs clench and her grip on her shoulders tightened slightly. As Minako's body relaxed again, her aura returned to its natural state and she slowly opened her piercing, cobalt eyes,

"For someone who's never been with anyone before, you're _such_ a fucking tease," Minako whispered as she looked at Rei through hooded eyes. She suddenly turned serious and cupped Rei's face gently, stroking the pale woman's cheeks with her thumbs.

Rei felt Minako's aura shift quickly to…Hesitation? Fear? She looked at Minako with confusion, "Minako, are you ok? You're scared. What are you afraid of?"

Minako sighed heavily, "The kiss was my fault, you're just so damn irresistible, Rei-chan," she said hesitantly, "I'm just...I'm really trying to take it slow and not rush you into anything. I want to make sure that...that when we do things, it's what you want too and not because I'm forcing you or because my aura's invading you. I don't want you to regret anything," She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath before she opened her eyes again and continued, "I'm…I'm really afraid of...of not being able to control myself around you. Everything you _are_...everything you _do_...makes me want to be near you and it...also make me...want you." She blushed slightly as she looked away, "So it's...it's hard enough already trying not to jump you every second I'm around you...without your innuendos."

Rei looked at Minako with a mix of sadness and concern as she now understood the struggle she saw in Minako's aura. She reached up and gently brushed a stray blonde hair behind her ear, "I'm sorry, Minako. I didn't mean to tease you like that," she said sincerely, "I can tell that you're trying to hold yourself back. I appreciate it but, please, don't ever stop being yourself just for my sake. I know how affectionate you are and that's one of the things I like about you. Remember, I agreed that if we do this I'd be honest and talk to you about how I'm feeling. But I need you to trust me. I'll be sure to let you know if I'm not ok with something." Though Rei could feel that Minako was still a little hesitant, she was glad at least that Minako began to relax a bit from her words,

"Ok," Minako sighed and nodded slowly, "I'll...I'll trust you." She smirked softly, "I guess it's the least I can do if you're willing to trust me being myself and risking a possible attack on you whenever I get the chance."

"That sounds pretty fair to me," Rei chuckled. She wrapped her arms around Minako, bringing her closer, "And, about my abilities, I already have Haruka and Michiru fussing over me all the time about it so I don't need you doing that, too. Plus, I've already gotten used to your aura so it won't affect me unless I let it." She lowered her voice to a seductive whisper, "And, trust me, Minako," she said as she brought her hand to the back of Minako's neck, urging her to lean closer, "I _really_ want it to affect me. Starting now."

Minako moaned in Rei's mouth as they started another passionate kiss. This time, Rei was the aggressor, capturing Minako's lower lip and gently sucking on it. Her tongue fought for dominance against Minako's as her hands desperately tried to bring Minako's body closer to her own.

Suddenly, Rei froze and her eyes shot wide open. Minako, noticing the sudden change in Rei's actions, broke the kiss and opened her eyes to look at the beautiful woman.

"Wh-What's wrong, Rei-chan?" Minako asked, panting. Rei stared blankly into the distance, her eyes glazed over.

"I'm really sorry, Minako, but you have to get off of me. Now. You have 15 seconds," Rei said flatly.

"W-Wait, what?," Minako asked, concern evident in her voice, "What happened? Did I...Did I do someth-"

"10 seconds," Rei interrupted, a slight hint of panic evident in her tone. She blinked a couple times and her eyes returned to their intense, amethyst color as they focused on the gorgeous blonde. Tightening her grip around Minako, she quickly stood up, bringing Minako with her so that they were both standing. Minako continued to look at her with stunned confusion as Rei brought her hands up to Minako's shoulders and carefully, but firmly, pushed her back so she was at arm's length away from her. Rei quickly took a couple steps away, increasing the distance between them as she turned to face the front doors.

A sharp pang of hurt shot through Minako's heart as Rei moved and turned away from her as if she were some social pariah.

 ** _Shick...Click Click!_**

Before Minako could ask Rei what was going on, her attention was drawn to the front doors as the sound of a key card being slid and the doors unlocking was heard. She watched as one of the doors slowly opened.

* * *

"Hi, Firefly," Rei greeted Hotaru with a warm smile as the child peeked her head into the room, "Did Haruka-papa send you up here to check on us?"

"Yep!," Hotaru responded cheerfully, "Haruka-papa said if I came up here and surprised you two, Setsuna-mama would give Mina-neechan a couple more minutes to do my makeup!"

"That _fucking_ asshole," Rei muttered under her breath as she half-turned to look at Minako with apologetic, violet eyes. She knew, somewhere downstairs, Haruka was probably laughing her head off at the idea of little Hotaru walking in on them making out or possibly even…Rei shook her head slightly, chasing the idea away.

Though Rei's comment was soft enough for Hotaru not to hear, Minako was able to pick it up and finally understood what Rei had done. She stepped forward and brought a hand up to Rei's back, rubbing it reassuringly, "Another example of how I should just trust you," Minako said warmly as she smiled at the beautiful, raven-haired woman in understanding.

Rei sighed with relief and smiled softly at Minako. She felt Minako's aura emitting understanding and she was glad that the painful confusion and hurt she felt earlier from being forced abruptly away was no longer evident.

Minako brought her attention to the young girl, "C'mon, Hotaru-chan, let's do your makeup right now and then we'll all go downstairs together."

"Yay!," Hotaru exclaimed as she ran into the room and jumped on the couch, waiting patiently while Minako turned to her station and began pull out some palettes to use on the young girl.

"Wait, what about me?" Rei asked with confusion.

"Mataku, Rei-chan, it's not always about you, you know?," Minako teased. She turned and handed Rei a slender tube from her collection, "And, besides, you're pretty much done. I finished with your makeup a few seconds before Haru-chan left the room, all except for the lip-gloss and I'm sure you can do that yourself."

Rei stared back with a puzzled look as she dumbly took the tube of lip-gloss. She then narrowed her eyes at Minako and smirked, "You little minx."

"I get what I want," Minako said coyly as she stuck her tongue out at Rei. Rei shook her head with amused astonishment and sat down next to Hotaru on the couch as Minako knelt down and began working on Hotaru's makeup.

* * *

"You know," Minako said to Rei while working on Hotaru, "I knew…I _knew_ I've seen you before when we met at Kirei. It's that darn smirk of yours!"

Rei laughed nervously as she brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck, "S-Sorry, I was afraid you'd freak out and become a fangirl if I told you who I was." She looked down at the floor and blushed, "I...I really liked you, so I...I didn't want you to like me _just_ because I'm the Flame Sniper."

Her lavender eyes quickly went to Minako, "But I hope you know I wasn't _trying_ to lie to you or anything," she rushed to say, "When we were at my place and talked about family and growing up, everything I told you was true, I just…omitted some things."

"Like how your father owns the biggest sports supply chain in Japan and your childhood friends are an international race car champion and a world-renowned prodigy violinist and painter?," Minako teased as she raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Rei, who's blush darkened significantly,

"Well, I guess you weren't the only one keeping secrets," Minako admitted as she looked back towards Hotaru and continued working. She blushed slightly, "I really liked you, too, and I...I got a little nervous when you started asking about Usa-neechan. I didn't want you to like me _just_ because my twin sister's a famous supermodel."

"I really like both of you!," Hotaru said cheerfully.

"Thanks, Firefly," Rei chuckled as she reached out and patting Hotaru on the head briefly.

"Thank you, Hotaru-chan," Minako said warmly as she smiled at the young girl, "That's a very nice thing to say." She got up from where she was kneeling and went back to her station to pick out other products to use, "It makes a lot of sense now why you said you understand better than anyone the value of privacy," Minako said sincerely, addressing Rei, "I can't tell you how much it bothers me when Usa-neechan gets hoarded by fans or papparazi. I'm always so afraid she's going to get hurt." She shrugged and sighed as she turned back around, knelt down in front of Hotaru, and continued working, "But she _loves_ it."

"So, I'm still unclear about something," Rei said in a puzzled tone, "Why do you and Odango have different last names? Is 'Tsukino' like a stage name or something?"

"Kind of," Minako explained, "She didn't want people to know her real name when she got into the business. Her last name is still 'Aino' officially, but 'Tsukino' is our mother's maiden name. Because of our blonde hair and blue eyes, her agency thought it would make her more marketable and exotic if she had a more Japanese-sounding last name with a foreigner's look."

"I guess that makes sense," Rei nodded. She smirked as she shook her head, "I still can't believe we've never met before even though we know pretty much the same people."

"Haru-chan and Michi-chan are always talking about their 'little sister' and how she was an athlete of sorts, but they were always pretty quiet when it came to specifics," Minako replied. She smirked, "They never mentioned that she was _the_ archer of Japan."

Rei chuckled, "Yeah, Haruka and Michiru always had pretty good stories when it came to hanging out with Odango and her little sister." She smiled shyly as she looked away, "They never _once_ mentioned how _attractive_ Odango's sister was," she said softly, almost to herself.

"You mean they never mentioned I was a 'sexy, blonde bombshell'?," Minako smirked. She looked up at Rei who was doing a _really_ good imitation of a tomato.

"S-Sorry!…A-About that-," Rei stuttered.

"It's ok, Rei-chan, I'm flattered by it," Minako giggled as she returned her focus to Hotaru. She mercifully changed the subject, "So, since we're sharing _everything_ now, I remember you mentioned that your grandfather and your best friend's partner are the only two who really understand your abilities. I'm guessing that's Michi-chan?"

"Michiru-mama can see colors like Rei-niichan!," Hotaru chimed in.

"Really!?," Minako said as she pulled away slightly in surprise.

"Hotaru," Rei said with a slight warning tone as she turned to her 'adopted niece', "Remember what we talked about when it comes to my and Michiru-mama's secret?"

"Oops," Hotaru said sheepishly. She knew when Rei used her given name, she was in trouble. She turned to Rei apologetically, "Sorry, Rei-niichan."

Rei sighed and half-smiled as she rested her hand on Hotaru's shoulder, "That's ok, Firefly. Just be careful next time." Her gaze shifted towards Minako, "Luckily, Mina-neechan's a senshi so it's ok to talk about it with her."

"'Senshi'?," Minako asked with confusion.

"When Firefly was younger, I used to read these children's books to her about a group of girls that called themselves 'senshis' who had superpowers and guarded the Earth from evil," Rei explained, "Since then, Michiru and I have used it as a code-word to refer to someone we consider safe with our secret."

"Like Haruka-papa and Setsuna-mama!," Hotaru exclaimed.

"Yeah, _just_ like Haruka-papa and Setsuna-mama," Rei chuckled as she looked to her 'adopted niece' and patted her on the head. When she turned back to look at Minako, she saw her orange-gold aura swaying with wonder, her cobalt eyes appeared to be swimming with questions, "It's ok, Minako, you can ask about Michiru. I can tell you want to."

"W-Well," Minako said hesitantly, "I-I thought you said your gift was special to your family. So...is Michi-chan related to you? No, wait, you said her mom was a high school friend of your mom's, right?"

"Yes, no, and yes," Rei replied with a smirk, "Yes, my abilities _are_ unique to my family. No, Michiru isn't related to me and, yes, her mom was a high school friend of Mama's. Michiru's a...special case. Her story is actually pretty amazing. Mama saved Michiru's life."

"Whoa, what!?" Minako said with shock and disbelief, "What do you mean!?"

"Well, from what Grandpa told me, Michiru's mother had complications while she was pregnant with Michiru," Rei explained. Her violet gaze went to the ceiling as she thought, "I don't remember exactly what the circumstances were, but she ended up bleeding internally and needed a blood transfusion. She not only almost lost Michiru but she almost died herself. Luckily, Mama was a blood match and was able to saved them both."

Rei's gaze returned to Minako, who was intently taking in the information Rei was providing, "While Michiru was growing up, she started telling her mother how she saw people's colors. Her mother told Mama about it because she had a sense it had something to do with the transfusion. It was then Grandpa and Mama realized that my family's abilities were carried specifically in our DNA. So, when Michiru's mom had the transfusion with Mama's blood, Mama unknowingly passed a little of our family abilities to Michiru."

"Wow...," Minako breathed with awe, "That's... _so_ crazy! It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie or an anime."

"I know, right?" Rei replied, "The difference between Michiru and me is that she can _only_ see people's colors. They basically look like a halo around people's bodies and are pretty static so she can't read them like I can. To me, people's colors are really dynamic and react as people feel different emotions. Like, for example, yours looks like a raging fire when you-," She stopped herself, remembered Hotaru was still in the room, "-get excited," she coughed. Minako blushed, catching the implication.

"Anyway," Rei continued quickly, "She also can't tap into them like I can to read thoughts. But, she _does_ have an unusually heightened intuition. Since her mom has pretty good intuition for a regular person, Michiru thinks Mama's blood just enhanced that ability in her."

 _So_ _that's_ _why Michi-chan's intuition is so_ _insanely_ _accurate!_ , Minako smirked to herself as she remembered having to lock herself in the bathroom earlier because of it.

"Another thing is Michiru's hair," Rei continued, "Everyone thought it was weird she was born with teal-colored hair since no one in her family has that color. Michiru thinks it has something to do with her mom being blonde and my mom being a blunette. She's been working with this scientist-friend of hers for a while now trying to find out more about my family's abilities." Rei snapped her fingers as a thought came to her and she spoke aloud to herself, "Which reminds me, I need to ask Michiru about what she's found so far."

"'Scientist-friend'?," Minako said mostly to herself as she went back to finishing Hotaru's makeup, "That must be Ami-chan."

"'Ami-chan'?" Rei asked.

"Michiru-mama said Ami-neechan's a senshi too!," Hotaru said excitedly to Rei.

"Great!," Rei replied to Hotaru. She then looked to Minako, "So...who is she, exactly?," she asked curiously.

"Her name's Mizuno Ami," Minako explained, "She's a high school friend of mine and Usa-neechan's. She's a doctor in residency in the States, but she's also a really prominent researcher on genetics and DNA. When Usa-neechan and Michi-chan became friends in college, she introduced me and Ami-chan to her at the same time and we all became friends. She's actually one of Michi-chan's bridesmaids."

"Really!? That's perfect!," Rei said excitedly. She suddenly paused and looked at the clock, "Speaking of which, I think we're going to be late."

"No, we're not!," Minako said triumphantly as she stood up, " _Just_ finished!"

"Thanks, Mina-neechan!" Hotaru sang cheerfully.

"You're welcome, Hotaru-chan," Minako replied. She turned and quickly packed up her stations.

Once she was done, she turned back around, "Now, let's get going before Setsuna-mama and Michiru-mama kill us!"

* * *

 **Author Note:** This chapter started out kind of short. As I editing, I began adding more and more things so now it's a little longer than it originally was. Yay! ^_^

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	13. Chapter 13

**Author Note:** It was really hard describing this scene the way I saw it in my head due to all the jumping around. I hope it makes sense and the breaks aren't distracting! =T

This is the biggest and most dense chapter yet. There was just no good way to break it up without having an abrupt and awkward end before another chapter so I just decided to give you the whole scene...all at once! ^_^

 **Kyudo-gi** = [Japanese] 'Kyudo' is the Japanese martial art of archery. '-gi' is a suffix and shortened word for "keikogi" which refers to the respective training uniform used in a martial arts discipline.

 **Yumi** = [Japanese] refers to a bow used in Kyudo

 **Sha** = [Japanese] "shoot"

 **-obasan** = [Japanese] 'oba' means "aunt" and I used it with the honorific 'san' after it

 **Okaasan** = [Japanese] "mother"

I don't own Sailor Moon, any songs, or brand names and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Lawrence, J. and Trenet, C. (1959). _Beyond the Sea_ [Recorded by Bobby Darin]. On That's All [record], New York, New York: ATCO Records.

The Expedition Hunter arrow model belongs to Gold Tip, LLC (cited September, 2013). The brand and product is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

 **Chapter 13:**

Haruka and Michiru had a little less than 100 attendees at their wedding. Once the ceremony ended, everyone shuffled out of the room where the ceremony was held into a neighboring, elegant banquet hall for the dinner reception and entertainment portion of the night. As the guests entered the hall, an upbeat, jazzy song played softly in the background,

 ** _\- Somewhere beyond the sea, somewhere waiting for me, my lover stands on golden sand and watches the ships that go sailing. Somewhere beyond the sea, she's there watching for me. If I could fly like birds on high then straight to her arms, I'd go sailing. -_**

The banquet hall had a 12' by 16', wooden dance floor that was set up close to the far wall. To the left of the dance floor was an elevated, professional disc jockey booth equipped with two laptops and DJ controllers where Setsuna was busily queuing up the rest of the dinner playlist. At the far corners of the dance floor, closest to the wall, were two sets of professional speakers from which the soft music played.

Ten round tables, each easily fitting ten guests, were situated into two, staggered rows around the dance floor and were covered with impeccable, cream-colored tablecloths that matched the satin chair covers. Encircling the backrest of each chair was a royal-blue, silk chair sash tied in a neat bow with the tails flowing down nearly to the floor. Formal place settings and glassware were set in front of each chair and surrounded a bubble ball vase placed upon a square, aluminum glass mirror that acted as a centerpiece. Each vase had a lit, votive candle, housed in a glass holder, sitting in the center surrounded by sand that filled the vase one-third of the way. Surrounding the candle and holder inside the vase, on top of the sand, was a variety of tiny seashells, starfish, and teal and blue glass beads, alluding to a beach theme.

Lining the left and right walls of the room were alternating teal and light-blue up lights that bathed the room in their soft blend of color and gave a trendy, modern-look to the space. The chandeliers and recessed lights in the ceiling were dimmed just enough to give off soft, golden light that complemented the glow of the up lights against the walls. Along the back wall of the room, behind the tables on the opposite side of the room from the dance floor, were thin, telescoping light stands, one of which held pin spot lights that shined a soft glow of gold light directly in the center of each table, highlighting the centerpieces, while the other held gobo lights that shined seashell and wave patterns along the walls, underscoring the theme of the wedding.

The wedding party was seated together at the most prominent table situated near the front, right-corner of the dance floor. Haruka and Michiru seated themselves closest to the dance floor, allowing for them to excuse themselves with ease to attend to pleasantries with other guests or other duties and traditions expected of a newly wedded couple at such an event. Michiru sat to Haruka's left, followed by Usagi, Mamoru, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Rei, and Hotaru who sat to Haruka's right.

Once all the guests had settled into their seats, Makoto organized her staff as they served a mouth-watering, seven-course dinner, which was immediately followed by the wedded couples' cake-cutting, dessert, and after-dinner coffee and tea.

* * *

"That was _such_ a beautiful wedding!," Usagi sobbed as she turned to Mamoru's shoulder for the umpteenth time that night. Mamoru brought an arm up around his girlfriend's shoulders, silently trying to calm her down.

"Yes, it was," Ami agreed with a nod. She turned and looked sheepishly at Makoto and blushed slightly, "A-And the food was q-quite delicious, K-Kino-san," she stuttered bashfully.

"T-Thanks, Mizuno-san," Makoto replied as she blushed deeply and brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck bashfully.

Minako giggled to herself. Both Ami and Makoto had been acting like this with each other ever since they met in Michiru's room, _Looks like Ami-chan_ _finally_ _found something more interesting than those research journals!_

Setsuna walked over to the table and gently touched Haruka's and Michiru's shoulders, getting their attention, "We're ready for the entertainment portion whenever you are."

"Great!," Haruka replied. She looked to Michiru and held an inviting hand up to her, "Shall we, love?"

Michiru smiled as she gracefully placed her hand in Haruka's, who brought it up to her lips and kissed it gently, "Ara, it's not every day Haruka's such a gentleman," Michiru blushed as they both stood up and followed Setsuna.

Minako smirked and leaned towards Rei, "So _that's_ who you got that slick move from when you left Kirei," she whispered teasingly.

Rei smirked, "She taught me everything I know," she whispered matter-of-factly with a casual shrug.

"Not _everything_ ," Minako whispered slyly, "If I remember correctly, I believe you said _I_ was the one who taught you how to kiss last night."

Rei chuckled softly, "Touché, Minako," she whispered playfully in reply.

"I'm _so_ glad you're a fast learner, Rei-chan," Minako giggled. As they both turned their attention to the dance floor, the house lights faded up, illuminating the room. A concert, grand piano and piano bench were rolled in with a violin case sitting on top of the lid of the piano.

* * *

Setsuna stepped to the middle of the dance floor with a microphone as Haruka sat herself in front of the piano and Michiru busied herself with unpacking the violin,

"Thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate this day of love between Tenoh Haruka and Kaiou Michiru," Setsuna announced into the microphone, getting the guests' attention, "The couple, in particular, would like to thank the Elegancia and its staff for their wonderful hospitality, especially Kino Makoto, their dear friend and the Executive Chef, for preparing a spectacular menu for all of us."

Makoto blushed and looked down at the table as the crowd applauded in approval. Minako smiled slyly as she caught Ami sneaking a timid, admiring glance at Makoto.

"They'd also like to thank their wedding party and close friends at Table 1 for their support and love, especially Aino Minako who graciously provided her skills and talents to making everyone look glamorous and beautiful today," Setsuna continued.

It was Minako's turn to blush and look down at the table as the crowd applauded. Rei turned towards the gorgeous blonde and, seeing the bashful embarrassment exuding from her aura, gently placed her hand on Minako's to comfort her. Minako looked up towards Rei, who was smiling warmly at her, and she smiled shyly in return.

"In lieu of a first dance, the couple instead wanted to show their appreciation to everyone by performing an original piece that they wrote together. So, without further ado, I present to you the happy couple," Setsuna gestured towards Haruka and Michiru behind her as she exited the dance floor. The guests applauded politely as Haruka nodded and Michiru bow towards the guests. Haruka rested her hands lightly on the keys of the piano as Michiru placed her violin snugly between her chin and her shoulder. Michiru nodded to Haruka and they began playing a beautiful, classical duet together. Anyone who knew the two women would have been able to hear each of them within the song as the aggressive and flirtatious piano notes danced perfectly with the elegant and regal notes of the violin.

* * *

After a few minutes, Setsuna quietly came around to the table and touched Rei lightly on the shoulder, "The song's about to end, Rei-kun. Are you ready?"

"Mmn," Rei replied softly with a nod as she stood up. Before she could follow Setsuna, Minako quickly grabbed her hand, gently halting her. When Rei turned back to look at Minako, she saw a questioning look within her piercing sapphires. Rei smiled softly as she felt small waves of orange-gold concern and nervousness flowing through her hand,

"Don't worry, Minako," Rei said softly with reassurance as she gently squeezed Minako's hand, "I have to go do something, but I'll be back." Keeping her eyes on Minako, she lifted Minako's hand to her lips and kiss it softly. With a wink, she let Minako's hand go and turned to follow Setsuna. She only took a step before she paused and turned back around to look at the gorgeous makeup artist.

"Minako, do you mind if I borrow your hair ribbon?," Rei asked quietly, "It'd really mean a lot to me if I could use it for a bit."

Though Minako looked at Rei with a puzzled expression due to the odd request, she reached up and pull the teal ribbon from her hair. Rei watched intently as Minako's silky, gold locks fell free from the material, cascading down past her shoulders. Minako folded the ribbon up quickly and held it up to Rei, who smiled appreciatively as she took it,

"Thanks," Rei whispered, "I promise I'll be back soon and I'll bring this back with me."

Minako continued to watch Rei quizzically as the beautiful archer turned and followed Setsuna out one of the side doors.

* * *

"Hey, Mina-chan!," Usagi hissed excitedly to Minako from across the table. Minako jumped a little at the sound, abruptly bringing her out of her thoughts. She hadn't noticed that Usagi had recovered from her crying fit, "What was _that_ all about between you and Hino-san!?"

"U-Ummm…," Minako stammered, "W-Well...you know that woman I told you about that I met last night?"

"Yeah?," Usagi nodded in reply. Suddenly her eyes widened in understanding. Minako began to blush.

"Oh my Gods, Mina-chan!," Usagi chided in a stage whisper, "Shame on you! You're two-timing the girl you met last night with Hino-san!?"

Minako groaned as she facepalmed, _Mataku! See, Haru-chan!? I'm_ _so_ _not as bad as Usa-neechan!_.

"U-Usagi-chan," Ami said timidly in a soft tone, "I think what Mina-chan's trying to say is Hino-san _is_ the woman she met last night."

Usagi looked at Ami with brief confusion before the information sank in and her eyes widened again. As she was about to scream and squeal from excitement, Mamoru's fast reflexes reacted and he wrapped his arm around her head, firmly covered her mouth with his hand. Usagi's muffled voice could still be heard quite audibly from behind Mamoru's hand by those at the table, but it was mostly drowned out by the applause coming from the rest of the guests as Haruka and Michiru ended their performance. Ami and Makoto tried to help Mamoru shush and calm Usagi down as Minako blushed and looked at her sister sheepishly.

"Ara, did I miss something exciting?," Michiru asked as she approached the table and took her seat next to Usagi. Mamoru, sensing Usagi had finished with her squealing, finally released his girlfriend's head.

"Michi-chan!," Usagi whispered loudly to her best friend as she bounced excitedly in her chair, " _Hino-san_ is the woman Mina-chan met last night! Can you believe it!?"

"I thought as much," Michiru giggled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "The way they've been interacting all night has been quite telling." She turned to look at Minako and winked, "Especially Rei. She seems quite taken by you, Mina-chan."

"S-Speaking of which," Minako said, quickly changing the subject, "Where _did_ Rei-chan go?"

A proud smile graced Michiru's alluring lips, "Rei's going to be doing something very special for me and Haruka. Haruka's been upset about it all day, but it's only because she doesn't understand. We're all in for a rare treat." She turned to Hotaru and leaned over so she was at eye-level with the young girl, "Hotaru, be sure to give Rei-niichan a _big_ hug when she comes back to the table, ok?"

"Ok!," Hotaru said cheerfully. Growing up with Michiru as a mother-figure, Hotaru was raised with the knowledge of how helpful her aura and presence was to people like her 'adopted mother' and 'adopted uncle' who had special abilities.

* * *

The piano, bench, and violin were wheeled away as Setsuna returned to the dance floor with microphone in hand, followed by Rei, who was dressed in traditional miko garb with her hair up in a high ponytail.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Setsuna announced into the microphone, "Allow me to introduce the best woman of the groom. Some of you may know her as the Flame Sniper, but, to the couple, she's known simply as Hino Rei. Today, as a gift to them, she will be performing a traditional, zen archery technique that demonstrates the highest honor an archer can show to someone. The technique is rarely performed due to the dangers involved and can only be successfully done by a true master in the art of archery. Because of this, we ask for complete silence while Hino-san performs this technique. Hino-san will also be adding her own unique touch to this tradition, which can only be performed by masters of the spiritual being."

* * *

"Wait, ' _dangerous_ '!?," Minako hissed towards Michiru, "What _exactly_ is she going to do!?"

"You'll see," Michiru smiled calmly towards Minako as she nodded reassuringly, "Have faith in her, Mina-chan. Before she went to change, she told me that she promised you she'd be back." She turned to look towards the raven-haired woman, "And our Rei _never_ breaks a promise." Though Michiru's words were soft, they echoed with a confidence that could only be equated to someone speaking on a topic that was, without a doubt, one-hundred percent fact.

Minako nervously brought her azure gaze to Rei, who was standing in the center of the dance floor. Though she appeared stoic in an almost trance-like state, there was an odd, comforting sense of calm and control about her.

* * *

Haruka walked onto the dance floor from the side, wearing a blue and black Kyudo-gi. In one hand, she held a yumi while, in the other, she held a pure-white, Gold Tip Expedition Hunter arrow. The sleek, modern arrow seemed sorely out of place in contrast to the traditional clothing Rei and Haruka were wearing.

Haruka stepped in front of Rei and looked at her with intense seriousness, "Remember," she hissed quietly, "If this arrow touches you, even _just_ a little bit, you better fucking _pray_ it kills you. Because, if it doesn't, _I_ will!"

"It won't, Haruka," Rei responded softly with calm confidence, "I promised Minako I'd come back to her."

Haruka was taken aback by Rei's words. She knew what it meant for Rei to make a promise to someone...to _anyone_ really, "Rei, you…you _just_ met her. Does she...does she _really_ mean _that_ much to you?"

"Yes," Rei responded without hesitation, looking directly into her best friend's eyes, "Maybe even more."

"Rei...," Haruka hesitated, "Is...Is Mina-chan…the _one_? Is she the one you've seen in your vision?," Other than Rei's grandfather, Haruka and Michiru were the only ones in the world who knew this deep secret.

Rei closed her eyes and sighed disappointedly, "I thought so at first, but the vision didn't come to fruition. But it...it _almost_ did. Everything happened up to the point our hands met. But I didn't feel anything other than her aura."

"I see," Haruka replied solemnly as her shoulders slumped slightly, "I'm...I'm sorry, Rei."

"But I _know_ there's something there," Rei said firmly as she opened her amethyst eyes and looked intensely at her best friend with determination, "I don't know what it is, but I...I can _feel_ it, Haruka. Just because the vision _didn't_ come to pass doesn't mean she's _not_ the one."

Haruka opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it and let out a sigh. Knowing how stubborn Rei was, Haruka knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with her by arguing or trying to reason with her. Especially _now_ , when Rei needed _all_ of her focus and energy. She looked at Rei with concern, "Just…be careful, Rei. I don't want to see you get hurt," Haruka said in a gentle tone.

"Thanks, Haruka," Rei said sincerely with a nod, understanding the depth of her simple statement, "Alright, so remember, focus on the arrow and not until I give the signal, ok?"

"Got it," Haruka said with a nod. She turned so she was standing side-by-side with Rei, facing the guests.

"I present to you Tenoh Haruka and Hino Rei," Setsuna said as she gestured towards Haruka and Rei behind her as she exited again. The two women bowed in unison while the guests applauded softly in anticipation.

* * *

As Rei and Haruka turned to face each other, Rei reached into her robes and pulled out a standard-sized ofuda. Holding it between her index and middle finger in front of her, she closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly as she began whispering inaudibly over it.

When she finished, she opened her eyes and nodded to Haruka. Haruka slung the yumi over her shoulder as she held the arrow up horizontally with both hands, presenting it to Rei, who tied the ofuda securely below the tip of the arrow. After completing the task, Rei stepped back and bowed low to Haruka, who did the same. Haruka walked to the front, left-corner of the large dance floor while Rei walked towards the front, right-corner to Michiru, who stood to meet Rei.

Once Rei met Michiru, she pulled out another ofuda from her robes and briefly whispered chants over the sheet of paper between her fingers. When she finished, she opened her eyes and looked up at Michiru, "Ready?"

"Mmn," Michiru replied, holding her hands together with her palms up. Once Rei laid the sheet across Michiru's palms, the violinist closed her eyes and focused on the sheet of paper. To everyone in the room, it appeared as if Michiru was simply holding an ofuda in her hands. To Michiru and Rei, the paper was slowing being infused with a bit of Michiru's aura as a teal light began soaking into the paper. Once the paper began glowing in a bright teal color, Rei gently placed her hand over Michiru's, signaling that she had done enough. Michiru slowly opened her eyes and smiled at her childhood friend.

"That was perfect, Michiru," Rei said softly as she smiled towards the taller woman she considered her sister. After taking the ofuda from Michiru's hands, she knelt down towards Hotaru, "Firefly, give Michiru-mama a big hug. She did a really good job."

"Mmn!," Hotaru replied cheerfully. As Michiru sat back down in her chair, Hotaru slipped out of her chair and went over to climb into her 'adopted mother's lap. As Michiru wrapped her arms around the small child, she immediately began to feel re-energized from her presence.

Sensing a strong, orange-gold essence of fear and concern nearby, Rei glanced over towards Minako, who was staring nervously at her. Rei smiled warmly and winked at her before she turned and walked towards the back-right corner of dance floor, closest to the wall, and diagonally across from Haruka.

Once there, Rei faced Haruka and reached into her robe to pull out the teal ribbon Minako let her borrow. Holding the ofuda lightly between her lips for a moment, she used both hands to bring the ribbon up over her eyes and tie it around her head, blindfolding herself. She smiled and felt herself relax immediately as she breathed in a comforting, strawberry scent. When she had secured the ribbon over her eyes, she pulled the ofuda from her lips and held it between her index and middle finger close to her chest. She nodded firmly as a signal to Haruka to let her know she was ready.

Haruka, seeing Rei nod, took the arrow and loaded it onto the yumi. Taking a deep breath, she brought them up to her chest and pulled the string back, pointing the arrow right at Rei. She closed her eyes and focused on the arrow.

* * *

 _Oh my Gods, are you_ _fucking_ _serious!?,_ Minako thought as she watched in horror as Haruka aimed the arrow straight at Rei. Like all the other guests in the room, she didn't _dare_ make a sound for fear of causing a very serious calamity, namely Rei's death.

* * *

To everyone, it appeared as if Haruka had loaded an arrow and was steadily aiming it at Rei. To Michiru, and in Rei's mind, the arrow was slowing being infused with a royal-blue light that was Haruka's aura.

However, Rei could see Haruka's aura wavering with uncertainty. She began to sense that Haruka was having trouble with the infusion due to how nervous the race car driver was of hurting her best friend, _Damn it, Haruka! If you don't do this right I'm_ _seriously_ _going to get hurt!,_ Rei cursed to herself, _I made a promise…Fuck, I'll have to exert more energy than I thought._ She forced her energies across the dance floor, tapping into Haruka's aura.

* * *

Beads of perspiration began forming on Haruka's brow. She knew she was struggling to focus on the arrow properly, _Fuck, if I don't do this right, Rei's_ _seriously_ _going to get hurt._

 _Fuck yeah, I will, asshole!,_ Haruka heard Rei's voice loud and clear in her mind. Haruka's eyes immediately shot open. Though she was startled by the sudden sound of her best friend's voice, she had enough awareness to not falter in her pose.

 _R-Rei!?,_ Haruka thought with shock, _What...What the_ _fuck_ _!? Since when could you do_ _this_ _!?_

 _Since forever!,_ Rei's voice replied, _Now, I need you to shut the fuck up and listen to me! Close your eyes and focus!_

Haruka quickly obeyed. In a more level tone, Rei's voice spoke slowly and calmly in Haruka's mind, _Breathe, Haruka. Think of the arrow as an extension of your arm. You've done this before. I know you can do this. Keep breathing. Nice and slow. In and out._

Haruka did as she was told. She began to feel herself relax into her stance and she no longer felt fear or hesitation. Across the dance floor, Rei smiled as she felt Haruka's aura calm down, the arrow becoming more and more one with Haruka's aura.

 _Thanks, Rei,_ Haruka thought in a more collected tone, _I_ _really_ _needed that._

 _I know,_ Rei's voice said softly, _Haruka, you've been my big sister and best friend for as long as I can remember and you've_ _never_ _let me down. I know you won't hurt me. I trust you._

 _Rei…,_ Haruka thought as she began feeling the sting of tears coming to her eyes, _I'm so proud to call you my best friend and little sister. I'll always be there for you, no matter what. I love you._

A tear slipped out from the bottom of the blindfold and ran down Rei's cheek, _I love you, too, Haruka,_ her voice whispered sincerely in Haruka's mind. She sniffed back the rest of her tears and brought her focus back to the task at hand, _Ok, Haruka, looks like the arrow's fully infused. Ready to do this?_

 _Ready whenever you are,_ Haruka thought.

 _Alright, here goes,_ Rei voice said.

* * *

"Sha!," Rei called out loudly, startling everyone in the room except Haruka and Michiru. Haruka opened her eyes and released the arrow, allowing it to fly towards Rei.

Rei could sense the glowing, royal-blue projectile traveling slowly towards her. She smirked confidently as she twisted her body and threw the ofuda with her right hand towards the arrow. As it left her hand, it burst into a large, teal fireball as it headed towards the arrow.

When the ofuda below the tip of the arrow came in contact with the teal fireball, it burst into a royal-blue fireball of its own. As the arrow passed through the combined fireballs, the shaft of the arrow began changing colors. Instead of pure-white, the metallic shaft became a blend of swirling royal blue and teal colors. As quickly as they appeared, both fireballs disappeared in a puff of white smoke once the arrow fully journeyed through them and continued on its path...straight towards Rei's heart.

In one swift, fluid motion, Rei's left hand shot up and snatched the arrow, halting it dead in its tracks inches from her miko robes.

To Rei, the whole event appeared to have happened in slow motion and take place over a series of minutes. To onlookers, the event took only seconds and was, undoubtedly, both shocking and horrifying to watch.

* * *

Minako found herself panting heavily with dread. She didn't realize that she had jumped out of her seat in panic once she saw the arrow flying towards the beautiful, raven-haired woman. It took her and the other guests a few moments to realize that Rei was fine and that the arrow was no longer its pure-white color.

* * *

Rei pulled the ribbon down, removing it from her eyes, and allowed it to rest on her shoulders at the base of her neck. She and Haruka began walking toward each other and met in the center of the dance floor.

Michiru gently lifted Hotaru off her lap and set her on the ground. She quickly stood up and met the two women in the middle of the dance floor as well.

Once Michiru arrived, she stood side-by-side with Haruka, facing Rei as the archer bowed low and held the arrow up horizontally to the couple with both hands, presenting it to them. Haruka and Michiru bowed towards Rei as well and lifted the arrow from Rei's open hands, receiving the gift together. The guests applauded loudly from the show they just witnessed.

* * *

When all three women had straightened, Michiru carefully handed the arrow off to Haruka. Turning to Rei, she smiled warmly as she stepped forward and placed a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder, squeezing it gently, "Thank you so much, Rei," she said sweetly with sincerity.

Rei smiled and quickly stepped forward, pulling Michiru into a tight hug in reply. Michiru was surprised at first and quickly became worried about Rei's well-being due to her close proximity. After a second, she realized Rei was still standing and seemed fine being so close to her. Allowing herself to relax, Michiru brought her arms up and returned Rei's hug just as tightly.

When the hug ended, Rei looked towards Haruka who smiled and gave her a thumbs-up, "You did good, Rei."

Rei smirked and quickly grabbed Haruka by the wrist, pulling her into a tight hug. Haruka tried to resist at first for Rei's sake, fearing that Rei wouldn't have the energy to handle having _two_ people so close to her after her stunt. Instead, to her surprise, she found Rei's grip to be strong and unrelenting. Haruka smiled proudly as she handed off the arrow to Michiru and wrapped her arms around the miko's waist, picking her up in a tight hug of her own.

Once Haruka returned Rei to the ground, Michiru walked back to the table with the arrow as the two best friends walked off the dance floor and out one of the side doors to change out of their garbs.

* * *

"Oh my Gods, I think I lost a few years of my life watching that!," Usagi said dramatically as she fell back in her chair, fanning her face with her hand.

"Yes, it was really quite intense," Ami agreed with a firm nod.

"Ara," Michiru said as she arrived at the table, "If you all feel that way, think about how Mina-chan feels right now."

She looked towards the blonde woman who was still standing and appeared frozen from shock. Her normally creamy skin had become almost as pale as Rei's and she was still panting, but not as heavily as before.

"I was afraid this would happen," Michiru said softly with concern to no one in particular. Not breaking her kind gaze from Minako's wide, sapphire eyes, Michiru placed the arrow down on the table and smiled softly as she slowly approached the smaller woman and gently enveloped her in a comforting hug. She could feel Minako's slender frame begin to shake.

"Mina-chan, it's Michi-chan," she whispered sweetly into Minako's ear, "I need you to breathe with me, ok?" Michiru began taking slow, deep breaths and letting them out equally as slow in a steady rhythm. After the first two, she began to feel Minako mimicking her actions,

"You're doing well, Mina-chan," Michiru said softly, "Just a few more, ok?" After a couple more breaths, Michiru began to feel Minako's small frame stop shaking as her body slowly relaxed. She smiled as she felt Minako's arms carefully wrap around her.

"Thanks, Michi-chan," Minako whispered, "I'm...I'm ok, now. Is...Is Rei-chan-"

"Rei's ok, Mina-chan," Michiru replied reassuringly, "She just went to go change. She's coming back to you. Like I said, she _never_ breaks a promise." Michiru hugged Minako tighter, "I actually have to thank you, Mina-chan. That was…the first time Haruka and I have ever hugged Rei."

Minako was taken aback by Michiru's words, "R-Really?"

"Mmn," Michiru replied with a nod, "And I have a strong feeling that it has a lot to do with you. Thank you, Mina-chan. Please take care of her."

A loud cough came from behind Michiru and both women ended the hug to turn towards the sound.

"Sorry, Michiru, but do you mind? I'd like a chance at my date also," Rei smirked. She was back to wearing her groomsman outfit and her hair was down as she usually wore it, allowing the silky, black threads to cascade down her back.

"Of course, Rei," Michiru giggled sweetly as she stepped away from Minako and went back to her seat.

"Rei-chan...," Minako whispered as her cobalt eyes locked onto Rei's intense amethyst eyes.

"Hello, Minako," Rei said warmly. She held out the teal ribbon towards the gorgeous blonde, "As promised. Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"Rei-chan!," Minako cried as she threw herself at Rei, who caught her in a warm embrace. Rei gently stroked the blonde's soft hair, _Do I_ _really_ _affect her this much?,_ the archer thought to herself curiously, _Do I_ _really_ _mean this much to her?_

"Shhh, it's ok, Minako. I'm here," Rei cooed as Minako began to weep softly within her arms. She could see Minako's orange-gold aura quivering as she felt the overwhelming shock and relief from the near sense of loss being emitted from the smaller woman _._ She kissed the side of Minako's head, comforting her as best she could.

Minako slowly calmed down and pulled back slightly to lock gazes with the archer, "I just found you," she whispered. She brought a hand to the side of Rei's neck, gently stroked her cheek with her thumb, as she closed her eyes and leaned in to rest her forehead on Rei's, "I _just_ found you and I thought I was going to lose you."

"I'm not going anywhere," Rei whispered. She tilted her head up to kiss Minako's forehead reassuringly and pulled back to gently wipe Minako's tears away with her hand. As Minako opened her eyes, Rei brought her amethyst gaze back to those sapphires that she found so much pleasure in getting lost in, "I'm not going anywhere, Minako."

Minako smiled warmly at Rei, "Good," she whispered as she began to lean in to capture Rei's lips with her own.

"Ok!," Haruka said loudly, startling the two women and interrupting the moment they were having, "So, now that we've had dinner _and_ a show, who wants to go danc-OW!," Haruka yelped. She reflexively grabbed and rubbed the sharp pain from her shin after receiving a strong kick under the table from Michiru, who appeared to be elegantly sipping her cup to tea.

Minako and Rei had become so lost in each other that they forgot they were still in the presence of their friends. Both women blushed deeply as they turned their heads sheepishly towards the table.

"Aww, Haru-chan!," Usagi whined as she slammed her hand onto the table in disappointment, "It was getting _so_ good, too! They were probably about to kiss!"

"U-Usa-neechan! Mou!," Minako whined before burying her face into Rei's chest, trying to hide from embarrassment. Everyone at the table began laughing and giggling, breaking the earlier tension from Rei's stunt.

"Damn it, Haruka!," Rei exclaimed as she turned to glare at her best friend, who was back to wearing her tux.

"Haha! Sorry, guys!," Haruka chuckled as she raised her hands up innocently, "I just didn't want you to miss any of Setsuna's mixing, that's all!"

While Minako and Rei were lost in their own world, they didn't notice that the ballroom had been turned into what looked like a swanky nightclub. The house lights had been dimmed again and colorful, spiraling disco lights flashed around the room as a deep-sounding bass echoed throughout. Setsuna was back at a DJ booth, spinning popular tracks for the guests who had taken to the dance floor.

Minako's eyes lit up, "Wow, this is _amazing_!," she turned to Rei excitedly, "C'mon, Rei-chan, let's go dance!"

"Ara, not so fast, Mina-chan," Michiru called towards them. Rei and Minako turned to look questioningly at Michiru, "Before anything else, Hotaru needs to visit with her Rei-niichan."

"Yes, ma'aaam," Rei replied obediently, suddenly feeling very drained due to both exerting her abilities for her stunt and the adrenaline from it wearing off. She gently pulled away from Minako and flopped down in her chair. Minako took the teal sash from Rei's hand and put her hair back up into its signature look as she sat down in her chair and scooted it as close to Rei as possible. Hotaru quickly went to Rei, climbed up into her lap, and wrapped her small arms around her pale neck as Rei enveloped the small girl in her arms.

"Well _we're_ going to go dance! We'll see you all out there!," Usagi exclaimed excitedly as she stood up and grabbed Mamoru by the arm, "C'mon, Mamo-chan, you promised you'd dance with me!" She quickly pulled him to his feet and dragged him onto the dance floor.

"U-Umm...M-Mizuno-san?," Makoto stuttered, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

"Y-Yes?," Ami replied, timidly glancing at the chef.

"W-Would...Would you care to da-," Makoto began before a hotel staff member came up to the table and touched her lightly on the shoulder, "My apologies, Chef, but there's a matter in the kitchen for the scheduled event tomorrow that needs your attention."

"Ok...I'll be right there," Makoto sighed as she stood up, "Ladies, if you'll excuse me." Though Makoto addressed the table, she kept her eyes on Ami as she spoke. Ami looked away shyly and blushed. Minako and Michiru gave each other knowing glances as they watched the two women. Makoto turned and followed the hotel staff member towards the kitchen.

"That was _so_ awesome, Rei-niichan!," Hotaru exclaimed as she hugged her 'adopted uncle' tightly.

"Thanks, Firefly," Rei replied warmly. She could already feel herself gaining her strength back from Hotaru's energetic, dark-purple aura, "But, you know," she said matter-of-factly to the young girl, "I wouldn't be as tired as I am now if it wasn't for your baka Haruka-papa not being confident in herself."

"Hey! What the-OW!," Haruka began indignantly before Michiru calmly reached over and grabbed her ear, jerking her closer.

"Ara, was Haruka not holding up her end of the deal and putting our Rei in danger by stressing her out more than necessary?," Michiru asked with a voice as calm as a placid lake.

"No! I was just-OW!," Haruka began but was jerked again by Michiru's unforgiving grip.

"There's no point in lying to her, Haruka," Rei said as she smirked at her best friend, "You _know_ she can see auras and yours was _definitely_ not infusing the way it should have been."

"Rei's right, honey," Michiru smiled sweetly at her beloved as Haruka writhed in pain, "I also saw some of Rei's aura blending in with yours before you shot the arrow, which means she was _really_ exerting herself." She turned her gaze towards Rei, "Don't worry, Rei, I'll take care of Haruka tomorrow regarding this matter. I'll at least allow her to have our wedding night as a reprieve." She casually let go of Haruka's ear and the race car driver quickly retreated out of reach, rubbing her ear from pain.

"Thank you, Michiru," Rei replied with a satisfied smile, _That_ _should get her back for making Firefly come check up on me and Minako!_

 _Wow...scary!,_ Minako and Ami thought simultaneously.

"Hino-san, so is that was happened to the arrow?," Ami asked, her scientific curiosity getting the best of her, "You infused it with both Michi-chan and Haru-san's auras?"

"Mmn," Rei replied casually, "In order for regular people to see spiritual colors, you have to spiritually 'burn' it on to something. That's why I chose a white arrow instead of a traditional bamboo arrow for the stunt. The ofuda I put on the arrow allowed it to become a receptacle so, when Haruka infused her aura with it, it became primed with her royal-blue aura. The ofuda I gave to Michiru embodies fire so, when it was primed with her teal aura, it created a fireball with the essence of her aura. Once Michiru's ofuda ignited, it became the catalyst that allowed the ofuda on the arrow to ignite and, in the process, take her aura into the arrow along with Haruka's and that's why you see both colors on there."

"Do you mind if I take a closer look, Michi-chan?," Ami asked as she pulled out her glasses.

"By all means," Michiru replied sweetly as she slid the arrow closer to Ami.

"Can I see it too?," Hotaru asked eagerly.

"Rei?," Michiru asked as she looked to the archer, concerned that she hadn't had enough time with her 'adopted niece'.

"I'm ok, Michiru," Rei replied with a nod, feeling much better than before. She gently lifted Hotaru off her lap and set her on the ground, "Go ahead, Firefly."

"Yay!," Hotaru exclaimed as she went to Haruka and climbed in her lap so she could lean over the table and look at the arrow more closely. The four of them quickly became engrossed in examining the arrow and conversing with each other, leaving Minako and Rei to themselves.

"Rei-chan, you're _such_ a pyro," Minako teased.

"Well, yeah," Rei replied matter-of-factly, "I told you fire's my specialty, didn't I?," She smiled slyly as she leaned towards Minako and whispered seductively in her ear, "And, trust me, Minako, I _really_ can't wait to play with _your_ fire."

Minako's breath hitched at she felt Rei's warm breath tickle her neck, "You _fucking_ tease," Minako breathed as she shook her head.

"Oh, on the contrary, Minako," Rei whispered huskily, "If you haven't noticed already, I _always_ mean what I say."

"Isn't there a saying about playing with fire?," Minako whispered coyly.

"You've seen me with a flame, I know better than _anyone_ how to tame a fire," Rei smirked confidently, "If anything, Minako," she purred sensually, " _I'll_ probably be the one leaving you _burning_ for more." She leaned back in her seat, dragging her tongue across her lips suggestively as she stared at Minako behind hooded eyes.

The thought of Rei's lips...her hands...her tongue...leaving burning trails all over her made every cell in Minako's body come alive,

 _Fuck...she's_ _so_ _hot!_ , was the only thought that came to Minako mind. She cleared her throat, trying to hide the fact that she was struggling to focus on anything _but_ Rei's lips. A thought came to her and she smirked slyly, "Well, Hino-san, since it looks like you have your energy back now, maybe some dancing is in order?"

"Sounds good," Rei replied. As she was about to stand, Minako turned to Hotaru,

"Hey, Hotaru-chan," Minako said cheerfully, getting the young girl's attention, "Rei-niichan wants to go dancing. Can you take her for a spin to burn off some excess energy?"

"Yeah!," Hotaru replied excitedly. She slipped off of Haruka's lap and began tugging Rei's hand towards the dance floor, "C'mon, Rei-niichan!"

"Cheater," Rei whispered as she smirked and narrowed her eyes at Minako, who giggled and stuck her tongue out in reply. Rei turned to her 'adopted niece', "Alright, Firefly, I'm coming." As she stood up and followed Hotaru passed Haruka towards the dance floor, Rei grabbed Haruka firmly by the collar and dragged her to her feet, "Haruka-papa wants to come too."

"Wait, what!?," Haruka exclaimed.

"Yay!," Hotaru said, running back to grab one of Haruka's hands, "C'mon, Haruka-papa!"

Haruka sighed as she smiled at her 'adopted daughter', "Ok, ok, let's go," she said. The three went to the dance floor, leaving Minako, Michiru, and Ami at the table.

* * *

"Hey, Michi-chan?," Minako said, bringing her attention away from the dance floor and to her friend, "Ummm…I want to ask you about something, but I...I don't want to be rude," she said sheepishly.

"It's ok, Mina-chan," Michiru replied sweetly, "I had a pretty strong sense that you were a senshi but I wasn't totally sure until Rei started talking about the arrow and our abilities in front of you. What would you like to know?"

"Well," Minako began, "While we were upstairs, Rei-chan told me about how her mother saved your mother with a blood transfusion."

"Yes, Risa-obasan saved my and Okaasan's life," Michiru said as she smiled.

"Mmn, she also mentioned that you were working with a 'scientist-friend' in the States on...looking more into it or something," Minako continued. She looked to Ami, "I just assumed that 'friend' was you, Ami-chan. Hotaru-chan was the one who told us that you were a senshi also."

"U-Umm…," Ami said hesitantly as she looked towards Michiru, who smiled and nodded.

"It's fine, Ami-chan, you can tell her about it," Michiru replied, "Mina-chan should know since she's dating Rei now."

"M-Mmn," Ami replied with a nod. She turned to Minako, "Yes, Michi-chan has been providing me with blood and hair samples from herself as well as hair samples from Hino-san and her grandfather for a while now. I've been studying Hino-san's DNA since we started college."

"Wow, really!?," Minako exclaimed, "You've been studying her for _that_ long!?"

"Mmn," Ami nodded, "It's been quite fascinating and groundbreaking."

"So...what have you found so far?," Minako asked curiously, "Rei-chan mentioned something about Michi-chan's hair color and the transfusion her mother got. Is that related?"

"Yes, it is," Michiru replied as she gracefully ran her hand through her wavy, turquoise hair, "That was actually one of the first things Ami-chan confirmed for me. Okaasan had blonde hair just like yours but, when Okaasan had the transfusion with Risa-obasan's blood, traits of her blue hair were infused into my genes and that's how I got my aqua hair."

"Mmn," Ami agreed, "It was quite amazing that her blood was able to do that _just_ from a transfusion. When I did more research on their DNA, I was able to isolate and study the specific gene that expresses superhuman abilities. For the sake of ease, I just call it the Senshi gene and it appears to have a certain mutation that also causes it to have some parasitic characteristics."

"Wait, 'parasitic'?," Minako's eyes widened, "Is Rei-chan in danger?"

"Oh! No, no, not at all! Hino-san's fine! Very much so!," Ami reassured quickly, "What I meant by parasitic was that the gene is fairly dominant, but in a good way. The host or carrier of the gene doesn't experience any negative side effects, they're actually fairly normal in all ways and examinations except for certain special abilities, like Hino-san's and Michi-chan's ability to see auras or Michi-chan's intuition. But, when the gene leaves the host or carrier and is transmitted to another organism, say through a blood transfusion, it actually adapts to its surroundings and dominates. So, theoretically, while Michi-chan's mother was being healed, it altered Michi-chan's genes by attacking or dominating over the foreign genetics, namely Michi-chan's father's traits. You _could_ say then that Michi-chan and Hino-san are technically half-sisters through Hino-san's mother."

"Whoa," Minako whispered in awe. She turned to Michiru, "So is _that_ why you and Haruka call Rei-chan your 'sister', because she technically _is_?"

"No, we've been calling her that since we were little," Michiru replied, "When Risa-obasan passed away, I was only seven years old and too young to be able to repay her properly for what she did for me and Okaasan. So I made a promise to her that I would watch over Rei in her place."

"Mmn, I see," Minako replied with a nod. A realization came to her and her head shot back Ami, "Wait, Ami-chan, did you just say Michi-chan's mother was being _healed_ by the transfusion!?"

"Yes," Ami replied excitedly, "That's another unique feature of the Senshi gene, it actually has _really_ powerful healing traits when initially transplanted into a new organism. But, once it's adjusted to the organism and/or any perceived threat to the organism disappears, that trait disappears and the organism heals normally from then on. So, when Michi-chan's mother had the transfusion, it was this gene that saved her because it accelerated her healing process. If it was anyone else's blood, Michi-chan and her mother wouldn't have made it."

"Ami-chan theorizes that the Senshi gene does that in order to survive," Michiru chimed in, "So, theoretically, if I gave birth to a child, it would take on most, if not all, of my abilities and traits and pass the gene on. If I donated blood and someone who was injured or dying got the donation, the gene would cause the person to heal faster than a regular person and they would take on _part_ of my abilities or have any natural abilities of their own enhances since it's not as direct a transfer as giving birth to a child. It's actually an ingenious genetic mutation of survival."

"Mmn," Ami agreed with a nod, "For someone like Michi-chan, though her abilities are off the charts for a regular person, she's actually fairly average for someone with any type of supernatural abilities. Hino-san, on other hand, is already _off_ the charts for people with supernatural abilities. She's incredibly special."

Minako smiled at the last comment, "Mmn, she _is_ special." She glanced over at the dance floor where Rei and Haruka were laughing and dancing with little Hotaru. Michiru smiled warmly as she saw the adoration in Minako's clear, sapphires as she watched her childhood friend.

"So, for someone like Hino-san," Ami continued eagerly, unable to help herself when it comes to scientific phenomenons _,_ "If she were to give blood to someone, it could _exponentially_ heal them or possibly even _cure_ them of disease. I'm still doing research on that in particular, but I found that her Senshi gene in particular is _so_ dominant that she doesn't even _need_ to match the person's blood type to make it work since it can adapt to fit any organism. She's a _true_ universal donor in the purest sense. For her mother, it just so happened that her blood type matched Michi-chan's mother's, but it's not a requirement for someone like Hino-san. So, theoretically, if it were _Hino-san_ giving blood to someone like Michi-chan's mother, her Senshi gene would have cured her in a matter of hours or minutes, _annihilated_ the foreign genetics, and replace them with her own. The child could _then_ be considered Hino-san's biological child and would take on traits from the mother _and_ Hino-san without any trace of the father."

"Gods...This all sounds...so unreal," Minako shook her head in disbelief, "But I _know_ Ami-chan never lies when it comes to science so it _must_ be true!"

"It _is_ true," Ami replied excitedly. She quickly caught herself and turned serious, "But...you can't tell Hino-san about any of this, Mina-chan. Michi-chan and I agreed that we wouldn't share my research with anyone, not even Haru-san and _especially_ not Hino-san."

"Wait, what? Why?," Minako asked with confusion, "Rei-chan seemed _really_ excited about getting answers, especially since it's _her_ DNA and all."

"Rei's been used enough, Mina-chan," Michiru replied. Her usual sweet tone held an uncharacteristic firmness in it, taking Minako by surprise, "I started this research with Ami-chan to get answers for myself and she agreed to help me so she could use the research as a basis to develop innovative methods to heal the seriously injured or drugs to cure various diseases. What I _don't_ want is for Rei to become a lab-rat for the government or greedy corporations to test on. Rei, of _all_ people, _deserves_ a normal life. If _anyone_ were to find out what she could do, who _knows_ what would happen to her?" Her eyes narrowed, "Especially if her disgusting excuse of a father found out. _He_ would probably be the first to try and patent her and sell her to the highest bidder."

Minako was shocked by Michiru's sudden change of character. She had never seen _this_ side of the always elegant, graceful, and sweet violinist, "M-Mmn," Minako said hesitantly, "Rei-chan told me about her father."

"Did she tell you how he doesn't have a soul? How he's practically dead to the world?," Michiru asked icily.

"K-Kind of," Minako answered hesitantly, "But...isn't that a little harsh, Michi-chan?"

"The bastard doesn't have an aura," Michiru replied coldly.

"What!?," Michiru exclaimed in surprise, " _No_ , she didn't tell me _that_! I thought _everyone_ has an aura!"

"He's shut himself off from the world," Michiru replied evenly, "That's the one thing that can throw our abilities. You can't read someone who's basically an unfeeling corpse. _All_ he cares about is work and money and he's shut down everything else." She pursed her lips, "Can you imagine, Mina-chan? Rei was only four when Risa-obasan passed away and he wasn't even there for the last year Risa-obasan was in the hospital on life-support. He didn't even come back for the _funeral_. He abandoned his only daughter, his flesh and blood, and now he's using her for his own profit! I was just starting off professionally and didn't have the means to help Rei at the time. Haruka's father didn't want to get involved since they were business partners so we both had to stand by and watch her ask that horrid man for help."

Minako knew Michiru believed that being anything other than calm and collected was beneath her. But, as she watched the elegant, aqua-haired woman, she noticed her hands were balled into fists and shaking ever so slightly. Her eyes mirrored that of the storming seas.

"Michi-chan…," Minako whispered.

"Michiru-mama?," a soft voice said with deep concern. Michiru was snapped out of her thoughts and turned to see Haruka and Hotaru standing next to her. Hotaru was pulling at her dress with her small hand, "Rei-niichan told me to come over and give you a hug because you were really sad I was gone for so long and you missed me."

Michiru looked towards Rei, who was standing towards the middle of the dance floor with her arms crossed in front of her. The archer half-smiled and winked at her childhood friend.

Michiru immediately relaxed and smiled warmly back. She looked down towards her 'adopted daughter', picked her up, and set her on her lap, "Yes, Hotaru," she said sweetly, "Michiru-mama feels much better now that you're here." She hugged Hotaru tightly as Haruka placed a concerned hand on Michiru's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear,

"Rei said you aura was going haywire but she didn't want to make a scene if we all ran over here to check on you," Haruka explained. She straightened and smiled towards Minako,

"Hey, Mina-chan," she said, pointing her thumb behind her towards Rei, "Your date's waiting for you to show her some of your moves."

Minako looked to Michiru with concern in eyes, "But-"

"I'll be fine, Mina-chan," Michiru smiled in reply, "Go have fun. Just remember what I said, ok?"

"Mmn," Minako replied firmly with a nod. She looked towards Rei, who smirked as she unraveling her arms. Placing one hand on her hip, she brought her other hand up and pointed her finger at Minako. Turning her hand so it was palm-side up, she alternated between curling and straightening her finger playfully, signaling Minako to come to her. Minako smiled as she got up and walking towards the most beautiful woman on the dance floor.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Whew! Did you get all that? I didn't realize how much information I packed into this scene when I originally wrote it until I was editing it this weekend. I find it amusing that Chapter 12 was shorter than I thought and I ended up adding more to it whereas this chapter is just...huge o.O

I can't tell you how many wedding details I combed through when it came to my wedding which, in the end, we scrapped the entire idea and basically eloped ^_^ Funny how things in life just come around full-circle because it really helped when I was writing this story! =D

From what I read, ' **sha** ' is usually called out in Kyudo once an arrow _hits_ a target. I decided to fudge the usage just for this story so forgive me! Citation below.

Kyudo. (n.d.). In _Culture Japan_. Retrieved September 10, 2013, from ?25877/Kyudo. (type "culture japan, kyudo - danny choo" into your search engine and it should be the first link)

Why _that_ specific arrow? I was looking for one that was both lightweight and durable. Since Rei's supposed to be an archery ace, I'm pretty sure she'd think about those things when choosing an arrow to use for something like this, especially if it's going through what she did with it and she wants it to be a special gift to those important to her. I'm not an archer, but that's what came up in my research. ^_^

FYI, the 'traditional, zen archery technique' Rei performs...is totally made up =P:::

If you're unclear about anything, constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	14. Chapter 14

**Author Note:** I'm having a procedure done this week so I'm anticipating I won't have time to write or post this coming weekend. Wish me luck! ^_^ Because of that, posting an extra chapter today!

I'm not much of a dancer myself, but I like watching people who know what they're doing. =P:::

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Adams, W., Duhamel, F., Gómez , J., Guetta, D., Pineda, A. and Riesterer, F. (2009). _I Gotta Feeling_ [Recorded by The Black Eyed Peas]. On The E.N.D. [CD], Santa Monica, California: Interscope Records.

Coleman, J., Sebert, K., and Sebert, P. (2010). _Your Love Is My Drug_ [Recorded by Kesha]. On Animal [CD], Los Angeles, California: Conway Recording Studios.

Allen, R., Brown, C., Jones, J., Kennedy, B., and Merritt, A. (2008). _Forever_ [Recorded by Chris Brown]. On Exclusive [CD], Los Angeles, California: Village Studios.

Blanco, B., Levine, A., Malik, A., and Schuster, K. (2011). _Moves like Jagger_ [Recorded by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera]. On Hands All Over [CD], Los Angeles, California: A &M Octone Records.

* * *

 **Chapter 14:**

 ** _\- I've got a feeling (Woohoo) that tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's gonna be a good night. That tonight's gonna be a good, good night. -_**

Setsuna was on a roll with her DJ skills, spinning popular tracks and adding her own flare with the DJ controllers and laptops she had in her disc jockey booth.

"So, I'm your date tonight, huh?," Minako asked coyly with a teasing tone as she danced with Rei, referring to how Rei and Haruka addressed her as such earlier in the night, "That's funny, I don't remember being properly _asked_ to be your date, Hino-san."

"Do you... _not_ want to be my date?," Rei asked with a touch of hurt in her voice, "Would you...rather be with someone else?" She pouted and did an incredibly good impression of a wide-eyed, dejected puppy, "Because...I wouldn't."

"Mou, Rei-chan," Minako softened as she hooked her fingers into Rei's belt loops and pulled her closer, "Of course not, silly. There's no one else I'd rather be with right now than with you." A soft blush came to her cheeks, "I just want to hear it, that's all."

Rei smiled at the gorgeous blonde she had come to cherish so recently. She took Minako's hands gently in her own and looked her straight in the eye, "Aino Minako, will you do me the honor of being my date tonight?"

Minako blushed heavily from Rei's intense gaze and forwardness, "Yes, Rei-chan," she whispered back bashfully. The two continued dancing together, enjoying Setsuna's smooth beats.

"Oh, by the way," Rei said as a thought came to her, "What were you and Michiru talking about earlier? She seemed pretty pissed."

"Oh, nothing. She was just telling me how pissed she was at Haruka for not doing her part during your stunt," Minako replied casually with a shrug, quickly covering for Michiru.

Rei raised an eyebrow at Minako. Having known Michiru and Haruka all her life, she knew something like that wouldn't have made Michiru as upset as her aura had displayed. Nonetheless, she allowed the lie to slide, suspecting that Michiru had requested for Minako to keep their conversation private. In any case, if Michiru _wanted_ Rei to know, the elegant woman would tell her eventually, "I always thought if it ever came down to a fight between Michiru and Haruka, I'd put all my money on Michiru any day," Rei chuckled.

"Yeah, me too," Minako replied with chuckle. She could tell Rei didn't really buy her excuse but was glad that the archer didn't press the subject, "Especially after seeing her almost take Haruka's ear off! That was scary!"

"Yeah, Michiru's really something alright," Rei smirked as she glanced over at the table. Usagi and Mamoru had tapped out from dancing a while ago and were back at the table, conversing and laughing with Michiru, Haruka, and Hotaru. Ami and Makoto were sitting a small ways away from the group and were having, what looked like, their own, private conversation. She smiled as she watched her childhood friends enjoying themselves, "But it's good because she keeps Haruka in check. They're really good for each other."

 ** _\- Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug. Your love, your love, your love. I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug. Your love, your love, your love. -_**

As the next song played, they continued to move together in time to its upbeat sound. Both women were exceptionally great dancers and quickly became mesmerized by the other's movements without faltering in their own. Rei placed her hands on Minako's hips and pulled her closer, allowing herself to become lost in Minako's orange-gold aura that flickered playfully around the slender woman's form as if it were dancing with them to the music. Minako responded to Rei's actions by draping her arms around Rei's neck, bringing her closer, _How did I survive this long without her?,_ both thought to themselves.

"I can't seem to get enough of you, Minako," Rei breathed as she watched Minako through hooded, violet eyes.

Minako chuckled softly, "Be careful what you wish for, Rei-chan," she challenged playfully as she looked deep into Rei's amethyst orbs with her own piercing cobalts, "You might never get rid of me."

Rei smirked, "Maybe that's what I want," she quipped.

She saw Minako's aura flare a bit in response. Before she knew it, Minako had buried one of her hands in Rei's dark mane at the base of her head. She leaned in and brought her soft lips to gently brush the length of Rei's neck, starting from the crook and moving upwards towards her ear, sending small shivers throughout the raven-haired woman's body. Rei involuntarily tilted her head upwards slightly from the sensation as a soft sigh escaped her lips. She heard Minako inhale deeply, taking in Rei's vanilla scent,

"Maybe _you're_ what I want, Rei-chan," Minako's melodic voice whispered seductively before she flicking Rei's earlobe with her tongue. A low, quiet moan echoed from the back of Rei's throat. Her eyelids fluttered slightly as her eyes rolling back only for a moment. Her skin tingled as she felt Minako's warm breath against her ear. An urge she never felt before began throbbing inside of her, threatening to engulf her with desire for the gorgeous blonde that was swaying provocatively against her.

"Kami-sama, Minako," Rei whispered, trying to control her slightly ragged breathing, "You're _such_ a tease."

"Speak for yourself, Rei-chan," Minako replied huskily as she pulled away to look the archer in the eye. Rei could see an intensity within Minako's cerulean eyes that seemed to burn for her and rival the intensity her orange-gold aura now took on, "Having you _this_ close to me and not being able to kiss you is driving me insane." A soft, playful smirk pulled at her lips, "I'm just returning the favor."

"Well, we can easily fix that," Rei replied in a low tone as she tilted her head to the side and leaned in. Minako gently placed the tip of her finger on Rei's lips, stopping her.

"Always so impatient, Rei-chan," Minako chided playfully as she shook her head, "As much as I want to, and, believe me, I do, knowing what your kisses do to me I can't promise that I'll be able to hold myself back. Also, I don't think our friends would ever let us live it down, _especially_ Haru-chan and Usa-neechan."

Rei let out a small, disappointed sigh. She knew Minako was right and she also wanted to respect Minako's decision. But, that didn't mean she couldn't get Minako back for teasing her, right? She smirked at Minako mischievously. Without breaking their gaze, she parted her lips to allow her tongue to stroke the tip of Minako's finger before capturing it between her lips, gently sucking on it.

Minako gasped softly as her eyes rolled back ever so slightly before she closed her eyes. Every cell in her body screamed for the archer as she felt Rei's warm tongue slide against the pad of her finger. As Minako reluctantly retracted her finger from Rei's mouth, the beautiful, raven-haired woman nipped at it playfully with her teeth, causing a shock wave of need to shoot through every corner of Minako's body. She felt her muscles clench deep inside of her as her resolve was being chipped away.

"You...are _so_ bad, Rei-chan," Minako breathed once she caught her breath. She opened her azure eyes slightly to eye the archer swaying with her to the music, "Do you know what happens to bad girls?," she smirked devilishly.

"What, Minako?," Rei challenged, her breath beginning to come out in soft pants.

"Bad girls get punished," Minako said in a low sensual voice.

 ** _\- It's you and me moving at the speed of light into eternity, yeah. Tonight is the night to join me in the middle of ecstasy. Feel the melody in the rhythm of the music around you, around you. I'm gonna take you there. I'm gonna take you there so don't be scared, I'm right here, baby. We can go anywhere, go anywhere. But first, it's your chance, take my hand, come with me. It's like I've waited my whole life for this one night. It's gonna be me you and the dance floor. -_**

Minako grabbed the lapel of Rei's jacket with one hand and pushed her away firmly so she was forced to take a couple steps back. At the sudden movement, the guests on the dance floor began forming a circle around Minako, giving her space.

Minako smirked as she began rocking her hips to the upbeat tempo of the music. Closing her eyes, Minako tilted her head forward slightly as she swayed to the beat, snapping her fingers. She slowly began raising her arms, straight out to her sides, moving them up until they were straight above her head. On a beat, she allowed her arms to bend at the elbows, letting her hands fall behind her head. Her head rolled back and to the side slightly, exposing her delicate neck. In a smooth motion, she began bringing her elbows down in front of her until they were back down to her sides, her hands meeting the back of her neck. As she continued to bring her elbows back past her sides, her hands ran down the front of her shoulders, following the silhouette of her lithe body until they came to rest on her hips, her head rolling to the front again. She began sensually doing hip-rolls to the beat while rotating her body counter-clockwise, her movements rivaling those of the world's best belly dancers. The guests began cheering and whistling, encouraging her to continue.

When she completed a half-turn, her back now towards Rei, she glanced over her shoulder with hooded cerulean eyes at the archer, whose mouth was slightly open, her amethyst orbs unabashedly raking Minako's body. Minako smirked seductively as she ran one hand through her silky, gold hair and rested the other on her thigh. She swayed her hips in a figure-eight while in place, slowly lowering herself to the floor by bending her knees. Before she reached the ground, she bent her upper-body forward, arching her back, and straightened her legs, allowing her behind to come up first. She slowly brought her upper-body back up and, once she was upright, finished the move with a body-roll. She did more hip-rolls, continuing her rotation until she was facing Rei again, locking her piercing, cobalt gaze on the object of her affection as she rocked her hips to the music.

* * *

To say Rei was mesmerized would be a grave understatement. She didn't realize she had begun to pant heavily from lust as she watched the gorgeous blonde move her form so erotically, knowing she was dancing just for her. Her muscles clenched reflexively from an unknown aching need. But, more than anything, she was mesmerized by Minako's aura, which radiated from her like a roaring fire. She yearned to feel that aura shooting through her being. Minako was so close to her, yet _just_ out of reach. Rei watched hungrily as her aura continued to sway playfully, licking Minako's creamy skin as if taunting Rei, making her wish so badly that it was _her_ tongue or fingers, not Minako's aura, licking and touching that soft skin.

Minako knew _exactly_ what she was doing and she was _absolutely_ right, Rei _did_ feel like she was being punished. But she loved it. Every... _agonizing..._ second of it.

* * *

Minako, finally feeling merciful, strode confidently to the beat of the music towards Rei. She grabbed the lapels of Rei's jacket with both hands and took backwards steps, pulling her into the circle with her. Rei smirked as she willingly complied. When they reached the center of the circle, Minako stopped and firmly pulled her closer until their bodies were pressed against each other, practically feeling the other woman's heartbeat racing in her chest.

Rei's rare, violet eyes were hooded and burned for the gorgeous blonde as she licked her lips reflexively. Minako's hooded sapphires searched Rei's face with intensity, landing on her lips. She leaned in closer, biting her lip as she felt Rei's breath brush her face. Though she meant to torture Rei with her dancing, she inadvertently found _herself_ in just as much, if not more, luscious agony as she witness how much the beautiful archer was affected by it.

Suddenly, she turned around and pressed her back up against Rei's front. Allowing herself to lean against the taller woman, she did a body-roll against her and continued to move to the beat of the music. She reached behind her until she found Rei's hands and guided them to rest on her swaying hips. Rei closed her eyes as she leaned in and buried her face in Minako's hair, breathing in her scent, taking in her aura. Falling into it, she moved her face to nuzzle within the crook of Minako's neck and began moving with her. She slid one of her pale hands forward slowly to rest on the front of Minako's stomach, holding her closer. Minako leaned her head back to rest on Rei's shoulder as she closed her eyes. One of her creamy hands found a place to rest on top of Rei's hand on her stomach, the other reached behind her to rest on the back of Rei's neck, pulling her closer.

"How was your punishment, pyro?," Minako whispered teasingly in Rei's ear.

"...Torturous," Rei breathed.

"Good," Minako smirked, "That should teach you a lesson."

At that, Rei came back to her senses. Not one to back down from a challenge, she smirked as she heard the next song begin to play, "Two can play at this game, Minako," she said mischievously.

 ** _\- You wanted control so we waited. I put on a show, now I make it. You say I'm a kid, my ego is big, I don't give a shit. And it goes like this: Take me by the tongue and I'll know you. Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you all the moves like Jagger. I've got the moves like Jagger. I've got the moves like Jagger. I don't need to try to control you. Look into my eyes and I'll own you with them moves like Jagger. I've got the moves like Jagger, I've got the moves like Jagger. -_**

Rei expertly spun Minako out of her embrace, pulling on her teal sash to unravel her golden hair. Minako gracefully followed through with the spin until she was facing Rei a few steps away and at the edge of the circle. Rei strode confidently towards Minako until she was standing inches from her, "Now, it's my turn."

She twisted her dark mane up quickly, using Minako's sash to keep it up and in place. When she finished, she winked at Minako and began gliding away. Minako's eyes widened in awe as she realized Rei was moonwalking smoothly backwards across the floor away from her. Once Rei was in the middle of the circle, she stopped and did a backflip landing softly into a half-split on a beat with one leg extended in front of her and one bent underneath her. She swung her bent leg outwards to unravel and rolled to her back. Using the momentum, she tucked her knees towards her chest and brought her hands by her head, doing a kip-up so she was standing again. She moving her feet quickly in a criss-cross motion as she began toprocking to the deep beat of the music. After a few beats, she went to the ground and began doing a two step breakdance move. As she completed a circle with the move and swung her leg out, she rolled to her back and transitioned to doing windmills. After a few, she pushed herself from the floor a little more, changing her windmills to flares. The guests began hooting and clapping at Rei's performance.

* * *

Minako couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her heart was pounding as she watched Rei aggressively execute each move with precision and control. She became quickly mesmerized by the raw power Rei displayed in her moves. The lustful feelings she had for Rei before seemed to pale in comparison to how she felt now. As Minako watched Rei expertly move her pale hands to rotate herself in the flare, every inch of her ached to be underneath those powerful hands and have Rei pressing roughly against _her_ instead. She wanted...no...she _needed_ Rei.

* * *

With the skill of a gymnast, Rei slowed the flares down and lifted one hand to do a one-handed pike freeze for a few seconds before unraveling and bringing her feet back down to Earth on a beat, landing facing Minako. Once she straightened, she smirked at the sight of Minako's wide eyes glued to her, her aura flaring brightly like a barely contained flame. Rei began intricately moving her feet, turning and gliding towards Minako as if she were weightless. The song ended as she came to a stop in front of the stunned blonde, taking a polite bow in front of her that reminded Minako so much of the hummingbird from earlier that day.

When Rei straightened, Minako couldn't stop herself and threw her arms around Rei's neck as she brought her lips to meet Rei's in a firm kiss. Rei caught the gorgeous blonde and wrapped her arms around Minako's waist, holding her close as she closed her eyes. Before they deepend the kiss, the sound of Setsuna's voice abruptly brought them back to reality,

"Ladies and gentlemen," Setsuna's voice called out over the speakers, hinting at an amused smile, "Hino Rei and Aino Minako."

The two women broke their kiss and began looking around in surprise. The roaring cheers from the wedding guests that surrounded them was deafening. Both women blushed deeply as they caught sight of their friends lining one side of the circle, whistling and applauding the loudest.

"And with that," Setsuna continued, "We've come to the end of the night. Again, thank you so much everyone for coming. If you plan on going home, please drive safely. If you plan on staying the night, please enjoy the hotel's hospitality. Have a good night, everyone!"

* * *

 **Author Note:** A small chapter to prepare for the next scene. The temperature is rising little by little. We'll see where it goes ;)

I have certain ideas of who Rei and Minako are in this story. I envision them being multidimensional individuals as most people are when placed in different settings, scenarios/circumstances, or even company. I'm hoping as the story progresses those different layers and intricacies begin to present themselves. =P::: With this being my first story, I'm hoping that comes across.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated!

(updated 09/2013)


	15. Chapter 15

**Author Note:** Hello, back again! Thanks for the well-wishes! I was on bed-rest for most of the last 2 weeks and not allowed to even use a laptop...literally just lying in bed and only getting up to use the restroom. Needless to say, got through lots of anime and TV shows but didn't get much writing done. -_-;;

 _Pop-Quiz: 3 Questions_

 _1 -_ In Chapter 9, what's the first line of the song Usagi and Minako sing together in the car on the way to the hotel?

 _2 -_ In Chapter 2, what's the last line of the song Rei listens to while she's unpacking her archery gear?

 _3_ \- What's the rating of this story?

 **quju shenyi -** [Chinese] A traditional Chinese garb. For a photo, you can look it up under the term 'hanfu'.

Hanfu. (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved September 2, 2013, from wiki/Hanfu

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Wozniak, J. (1997). _Sex and Candy_ [Recorded by Marcy Playground]. On Marcy Playground [CD], London, England: EMI Group Limited.

Coleman, J., Gottwald, L., Martin, M., and Perry, K. (2011). _E.T._ [Recorded by Katy Perry]. On Teenage Dream [CD], Hollywood, California: Conway Recording Studios.

Dean, E., Eriksen, M., Hermansen, T. E., and Wilhelm, S. (2011). _S &M _[Recorded by Rihanna]. On Loud [CD], New York, New York: Def Jam Recordings.

* * *

 **Chapter 15:**

Once Setsuna ended the night and all the guests were seen off by the wedded couple, the wedding party congregated in front of the elevators to go to their respective rooms. As they waited, the friends chatted non-stop about the highlights of the night.

"That was _so_ cool, Rei-niichan!" Hotaru squealed as she tightened her grip around her 'adopted uncle's neck and rested her head on Rei's shoulder, enjoying the piggy-back ride she was getting in exchange for her energizing aura, "I didn't know you could do that!"

"Thanks, Firefly," Rei replied with a smile. She turned to look at Haruka and gestured towards her with her elbow, "Your Haruka-papa was the one who taught me when we were kids."

"Can you teach me some of those moves, Haruka-papa!?," Hotaru asked excitedly, "Please, please, please!"

"Yeah, sure, kiddo!," Haruka replied cheerfully, "When I come back from the honeymoon, we can-,"

"Ara, Haruka," Michiru interjected sweetly with a hint of concern in her voice as she slid her hand underneath Haruka's arm and pulled the race car driver closer, getting her attention, "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Mmn, me neither," Setsuna agreed with a nod towards Haruka as she crossed her arms, "I don't want Hotaru breaking her neck or hurting herself trying to do those moves." She turned to Hotaru and brought a hand up to stroke her head, "Maybe when you're older. Ok, hun?"

"Yes, ma'aaam," Hotaru said disappointedly.

"It's ok, Firefly," Rei encouraged "That just gives you more time to eat well and take care of yourself so you can become strong enough do those things."

Hotaru's mood brightened immediately, "Mmn!" she replied cheerfully with an enthusiastic nod.

 ** _Ding!_**

An elevator car arrived and, as the doors slid open, Rei knelt down to return Hotaru to the ground. The young girl dismounted and quickly went to Setsuna, grabbing a hold of her hand. As the group began filing in they continued their respective conversations. Usagi and Mamoru got in first, followed by Ami, Makoto (who held a permanent residence at the hotel due to her position), Setsuna, Hotaru, Michiru, Haruka, and Rei.

As Minako took a step into the elevator, a loud, high-pitched, obnoxious sound echoed within the elevator.

 ** _Beep! Beep! Beep!_**

"What's that sound?," Usagi asked nervously from the back of the elevator.

"It's a safety mechanism in the elevators," Makoto replied, "I think that sound means there's too many people in the elevator."

Minako immediately stepped back into the hallway, which caused the noise to stop and confirmed Makoto's comment, "Well, I guess that means I'll get the next one," she giggled.

"Awww, Mina-chan!," Usagi pouted from the back of the elevator, "I can get out and wait with you for the next elevator."

"Mou, Usa-neechan," Minako sighed as she rolled her eyes, "Don't be ridiculous, I'm fine waiting by myself. Besides, you're _way_ back there! I'll just see you soon."

"I can-," Rei began, but her voice was drowned out by another loud, obnoxious sound echoing within the elevator.

 ** _Beeeeeeep!_**

"Careful! The doors are going to close on their own because they've been held open for too long," Makoto explained over the sound.

"Have a good night, everyone!," Minako called cheerfully over the sound as she pushed the call button for the next elevator.

Rei's shoulders slumped and she let out a disappointed sigh. She gave Minako a half-smile and a small wave as the doors of the elevator began slowly closing. Minako smiled and waved back shyly as she mouthed a small 'good night' in reply.

Suddenly, Rei's eyes widened as she felt a mischievous, royal-blue aura quickly approaching from behind,

"Whoa!," she exclaimed as she felt a sudden pressure between her shoulder blades. Before she knew it, she found herself pitching forward, stumbling through the closing elevators doors and out into the hallway.

"Rei-chan!," Minako exclaimed in surprise. Luckily, she was able to catch Rei in her arms before the archer fell to the ground. Once Rei caught her footing, she whipped her head around and caught the look of mischief in Haruka's dark-blue eyes,

"Rei, keep Mina-chan company while she goes up to her room, ok?," Haruka chuckled and waved at her before the doors closed and the elevator began moving upwards.

* * *

 ** _Wrrr….._**

"Fucking asshole," Rei scoffed under her breath as she straightened, her eyes still trained on the elevator doors.

"Are you ok, Rei-chan?," Minako asked with concern, bringing Rei quickly out of her annoyance and into the present moment. Rei's eyes widened as she immediately registered who she was alone with and what Haruka did. A smirk formed on her lips, _Thanks, Haruka. I owe you one._

"More than ok," Rei said sincerely as she turned to smile at her savior, "That's for saving me. I guess that makes you _my_ hero now."

Minako blushed slightly at the comment as a soft smile formed on her lips. Other hotel patrons began congregating near the elevators and Rei moved to stand side-by-side with Minako, facing the elevators.

 ** _Ding!_**

Another elevator car soon arrived and the doors slid open. Rei entered first, pressed the button for the 25th floor, and went to the back-left corner of the elevator. She turned to face the doors and brought her hands up to rest on the gold, hip-height railing behind her that ran the length of the back wall as she leaned against it casually. Minako followed, pressing the button for the 13th floor, and went to stand next to Rei.

A very tall, stunning woman wearing a loose, pink quju shenyi with white trim and a yellow sash tied around the waist entered next. A beauty mark graced her delicate cheek below her left eye and her hazel gaze held the faintest color of purple that complimented her long, dark-purple hair which was braided starting at the base of her neck and going down past her waist. As she turned and lifted a hand to press the button for the 3rd floor, Rei noticed a large, white bangle with an emerald clasp on her delicate wrist that flashed a hint of red on the underside. Rei smirked to herself as she read the person's aura, _Wow, I would have never guessed. For a guy, he's makes a_ _really_ _pretty woman!,_ She stole a side-glance towards the blonde next to her and blushed slightly, _But he's_ _nothing_ _in comparison to Minako._

A female couple, a little older than Rei and Minako, with a small child walked in next. The taller of the two walked in first and was wearing a white blouse under a flattering, brown, women's military jacket. Her matching, knee-length pencil-skirt sported a modest slit that showed off her long, toned legs that were covered by dark-grey stockings. Her long, blonde hair was kept neatly together near the ends with a black ribbon tied in a bow. As she turned to press the button for the 6th floor with her left hand, her right arm came up to wrap around the smaller woman's shoulders, holding her close.

The smaller woman was also wearing a women's military suit, but her jacket was white with navy trim and her navy pencil-skirt came down just above her thigh-high, white stockings that covered her slender legs. Her long, auburn hair was pulled up into a side pony-tail to the left-side of her head.

The young child, who was holding the smaller woman's right hand, wore what looked to be a school uniform with a brown, school backpack on her back. She had long, dark-blonde hair with two, blue ribbons on either side of her head that held up adorably small twin-tails.

As the child walked into the elevator with her parents, she caught a glimpse of Minako with her heterochromatic emerald and crimson eyes and smiled shyly. Minako smiled back warmly and gave a small wave, which caused the child to blush slightly and turn to face the doors. Minako's gaze went to the backs of the two women, _Wow, this must be a_ _really_ _bougie place if high-ranking, air force officers stay her too!_

The group stood silently as the elevator doors closed.

* * *

 ** _Wrrr….._**

The Elegancia, which was known mostly for its elegance and A-list patrons, also had a modern edge to it that allowed for them not to take themselves so seriously as to play the typical elevator jingles that were stereotypically expected from such high-class establishments.

Once the lift began moving, a song with a lazy low beat began playing softly from the speakers.

 ** _\- Like double-cherry pie, yeah, there she was. Like disco super-fly. I smell sex and candy here. Who's that lounging in my chair? Who's that casting devious stares in my direction? Mama, this surely is a dream. Yeah, Mama, this surely is a dream. -_**

Minako was trying hard not to show it, but she was having some trouble breathing. The flirting, the looks, the soft touches, the dancing, the kisses… _Gods, the kisses!_

The sexual tension that had been building up between her and Rei since the night before was beginning to overpower her. Now, being so close to the archer in such a small space, it took everything in her not to pin the tragically, beautiful woman against the elevator wall and claim her lips in front of the the other hotel patrons.

She glanced over at Rei from the corner of her azure eyes. Rei was leaning her head back against the wall with her eyes closed. She was breathing deeply and slowly through her nose and almost appears as if she had fallen asleep standing up. Minako couldn't help but stare at her flawless, porcelain skin. As her eyes wandered to Rei's pale neck, she licked her lips as the thought of tasting the woman's skin at that spot entered her mind.

* * *

 ** _Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator stopped at the 3rd floor and the tall wo(man?) adjusted her (his?) bangles as s(he?) gracefully exited the elevator. After a silent pause, the elevator doors slowly closed and continued on its journey.

 ** _Wrrr….._**

Another song with an almost haunting beat began playing through the speakers.

 ** _\- You're so hypnotizing. Could you be the Devil? Could you be an angel? Your touch, magnetizing. Feels like I am floating, leaves my body glowing -_**

On the outside, Rei appeared to have dozed off as she leaned back against the wall of the elevator. But, if one happened to glance down at her hands, they would have seen them shaking slightly from gripping the elevator railing so tightly. In reality, Rei was being consumed by thoughts of Minako and was desperately trying to calm herself down to prevent from ravaging the seductive blonde right here in front of the other hotel patrons. The sexual tension had been so palatable between her and Minako since the night before, she could practically _taste_ it.

The thought of tasting Minako's lips, her tongue, her skin...made Rei's breath hitch slightly. It also wasn't helping that she could see Minako's aura in her mind's eye burning ominously, practically raking her body from head to toe. Rei could almost _feel_ the orange-gold flames licking the side of her neck, which caused a slight tingling sensation and she had to bite her tongue to stifle a soft moan.

A born pyro, Rei played with fire for most of her life. She fell in love with it at first sight when her grandfather introduced it to her at a young age at the shrine while training her in her abilities. She respected it and understood how to manipulate it, making it bend to and perform at her will. She was master to the earthly element and it obeyed her every bidding willing, almost submissively. But this…this aura that was blazing out of control...it was unpredictable...raw...dangerous.

And Rei _wanted_ it... _all_ of it.

* * *

 ** _Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator stopped at the 6th floor and the small family exited the elevator, leaving Minako and Rei to themselves. After a silent pause, the elevator doors closed and continued its ascent.

 ** _Wrrr….._**

 ** _\- 'Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it. Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me. –_**

They were finally alone. The two women were frozen in place, neither one daring to make the first move while desperately willing the other to do so.

Rei could barely hear the sounds of Minako's soft, ragged breathing over the deafening sound of her own heart beating in her ears.

Minako's urges were coming to a head. Rei's breathing, her scent, her presence...was all-consuming. She couldn't take not being pressed up against Rei's curves but was practically paralyzed by how strongly she desired the beautiful archer. Taking a breath, she turned to look at Rei, who was standing frightfully still. As her gaze trailed down Rei's body, something caught her eye. Was it just her or was Rei's hand...shaking? Slowly, Minako brought her hand up, reaching towards Rei's hand.

As Rei's grip tightened on the railing behind her, she saw Minako's aura in her mind's eye moving closer.

* * *

 ** _Slam!_**

"Aah-mmm!," Before Minako knew what happened, she found her back being slammed firmly against the side-wall of the elevator. Her gasp of surprise was swallowed by fervent lips and replaced with a tongue that greedily explored her mouth. The kiss embodied so many unspoken words of passion, lust, and need that it sent a lightning-bolt through her that ended in an electrifying shock deep between her legs. Her body was being pinned to the wall by Rei's perfect, toned form. Pale, strong hands roughly explored every inch of her curves, occasionally raking nails on her exposed, creamy skin that left delicious, burning trails.

This is what Minako wanted...what she _needed_. She quickly gave in and closed her eyes, allowing her senses to take over. She kissed Rei back just as ferociously, sucking and biting at her lip while her own needy tongue invaded Rei's mouth. The elevator cabin echoed with the sounds of quickened breath and desperate gasps. Minako's hands were just as insistent, if not more, clawing at Rei's back and digging into her scalp as she fisted her silky, black hair. As Minako leveraged the wall to try and push herself impossibly closer to the sensual, toned body holding her down, she felt Rei's body let up slightly. For a moment, Minako thought she was winning this heated battle until Rei threw all her weight into the writhing blonde, her thigh hitting between Minako's legs.

The force of being pinned against the wall a second time and the full-body sensation that shot through Minako from Rei's thigh caused their kiss to break, allowing Minako to let out a loud and desperate moan, "Oh, Gods!"

This only encouraged Rei as she let out a low growl before ducking to attack Minako's neck savagely. Minako's breath was now coming out in a mix of pants and moans in Rei's ear, urging on Rei's desires.

Unable to deny the throbbing urge that was growing inside of her, Minako wrap her arms around Rei's body, grasping her jacket tightly in her hands. She lifted one of her legs up to wrap possessively around Rei's waist, allowing her to grind herself against Rei's thigh.

Rei's hand followed the outline of Minako's body, along the smooth thigh of her lifted leg, until it stopped in the bend under Minako's knee. As Minako rolled her hips up and down the length of Rei's thigh, Rei alternated between pulling her and relaxing in the same rhythm while moving her own thigh in the opposite motion, helping the gorgeous blonde gain more purchase with every movement.

"Aah…Rei-chan," Minako moaned breathlessly, "Gods...mmm...that feel _so_ good...aah...keep going."

Rei, relishing the desperate tone in Minako's voice, continued her ministrations, forcing more ragged moans to escape Minako's lips.

"Fuck…Rei-chan," Minako moaned as her head tilted back to lean against the wall behind her for support, "Aah...I want you…Gods...I can't wait to fuck you."

At this, Rei hesitated and slowed her movements slightly. Though she still continued her actions, they were less fervent than before. Being practically wrapped around Rei, this didn't go unnoticed by Minako and her azure eyes immediately shot open,

"Rei-chan," Minako said in a more collected tone. She loosened her grip on Rei's jacket and patted her back quickly a couple times with her hand, "S-Stop. Stop, Rei-chan."

Rei could feel the shift in Minako's aura. Though it still flared with desire, its intensity had lessened and began exuding strong strands of concern. She cursed at herself silently for faltering at Minako's comment, "It's…It's ok, Minako," Rei said while nipping Minako's neck, "Don't worry…I'm ok."

Before Rei knew what happened, Minako quickly brought her hands in between them to the lapels of Rei's jacket. In one swift motion, she ripped the jacket off of Rei's shoulders and cinching it tightly around Rei's body, just below her elbows, pinning the archer's arms to her sides so she couldn't move. Rei nearly stumbled as she felt herself being swiftly pushed backwards until her back slammed against the opposite elevator wall.

 ** _Slam!_**

Rei winced, not from being slammed into the wall, but from the orange-gold aura that was now flowing through her with…Disappointment, Hurt, Sadness, and…Anger?

When she open her amethyst eyes, she was startled as they were met, not with bright, sapphire eyes, but deep, midnight-blue eyes...and tears were threatening to fall from them,

"First rule, Hino-san," Minako said in a low, slightly wavering, warning tone through gritted teeth, "When a girl says 'stop', that means stop."

Rei eyes widened as she stared back in shock at the sound of her name being called so formally, so distantly by the usually playful blonde.

After a pause, Minako firmly pushed herself off of Rei, letting go of her tight grip on the jacket and freeing the archer's arms. Rei, still in shock, didn't notice as the jacket slipped down her arms and fell to the ground, collecting behind her feet.

Minako continued to back up until she was pressed against the opposite wall. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, "You…you said you'd be honest with me," she said in a low, even tone, "You said you'd let me know if you weren't ok with something." She opened her eyes and looked at Rei with serious intensity, "I...I don't know if this is going to work if...if I can't trust you."

"M-Minako," Rei stuttered softly. She could see the overwhelming disappointment in Minako's aura, blending with strands of hurt. Ashamed and no longer able to hold Minako's intense gaze, she turned her gaze to the ground next to her,

"I'm...I'm sorry," Rei whispered, "You have every right to be disappointed in me. I'm such a baka, I didn't mean to hurt you or make you upset. I'm _really_ sorry, Minako."

Seeing Rei practically cowering and apologizing, using words that perfectly described her own feelings, Minako knew that she had gotten Rei's attention. She softened her voice to one of concern, "Rei-chan, I know this is new for you. And I'm sure your abilities and my aura don't help in making navigating all of this easy. Talk to me, Rei-chan. You were all over me the first chance you got but you hesitated when I mentioned having sex with you. You already know how I feel about you, it's no secret I've wanted you since I saw you at Kirei. But, Rei-chan, what do _you_ want?"

Rei looked up at the gorgeous blonde hesitantly. Minako's eyes had returned to their inviting, sapphire color and her aura returned to it's warm, protective glow she always felt so safe in. She took a small step forward, "Minako, I-," she began softly.

"Don't move," Minako said firmly, interrupting her and halting Rei in her tracks. A sting of hurt shot through Rei's heart as she watched Minako pressed herself against the wall as much as she could, trying to keep herself as far from Rei as possible.

Though it pained Minako to see the beautiful, raven-haired woman so upset by her actions, she knew it was necessary for their conversation, "I need you to stay over there. I don't want you getting confused and _thinking_ you know what you want or don't want because of me and my aura," she explained in a softer tone, "Talk to me, Rei-chan," she repeated, "What do you want?"

"You," The word came out of Rei's mouth before she even realized it and it took her by surprise. She took a moment to think, to _really_ think about what it was she wanted, "I…I do," she continued softly, "I want _you_ , Minako. I want you so much, I can barely _stand_ it. I've…I've never in my life wanted any _thing_ or...any _one_ more...but...," She paused, struggling with what she was about to say next. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She turned away and hung her head, shutting her eyes tightly as her hands balling into fists.

"But?," Minako encouraged gently, resisting the urge to run over and comfort the beautiful archer.

"But…," Rei started again, nervously, "I…I don't know if…if I'm ready to…reciprocate." She shook her head in disgust at herself, "I know...I _know_ it selfish, that's why I…I thought I could, but I…I can't."

"…I see," Minako whispered.

* * *

 ** _Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator doors slid open as it stopped at the 13th floor, Minako's floor. Rei was frozen in place, bracing herself for Minako's reaction, anticipating Minako's next move: walk out the door, never see her again. And who would blame her? The gorgeous blonde had already been _more_ than accommodating and understanding up to this point. First it was Rei's abilities, then this being her first relationship, and now...this? A person can only take so much.

Rei gritted her teeth, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes as she heard the sounds of footsteps going towards the door. She suspected as much. Not only had she broken Minako's trust, she was asking _way_ too much. What made Rei think she'd be able to have the gorgeous, blonde vixen and claim her without being able to give back in return?

* * *

 ** _Wrrr….._**

She allowed herself to slump against the wall behind her once she heard the elevator doors close and felt it continue on its path towards her floor. She loosened her hands and hunched over slightly as she brought her right hand up to cover her eyes in shame, as if allowing the darkness from it to hide her from the world. Her breathing was shallow as she continued trying to hold back tears. It was Minako who got hurt in all of this. If _anyone_ deserved to shed tears, it was Minako, not her.

Rei was so consumed by her emotions, she didn't notice the sound of soft footsteps walking towards her. She jumped slightly as she felt a warm, protective, orange-gold aura seep into her as a hand caressed her right cheek and turned her head to her left, coaxing it away from the darkness. The scent of strawberries filled her as a pair of soft lips met her own in a gentle kiss.

When the kiss ended, Rei opened her eyes and was met by the most beautiful pair of sapphires she had ever seen that belonged to the most beautiful person she had ever met, "Minako," she breathed. She straightened and quickly enveloped the smaller woman in an embrace, "I…I thought you left me," Rei whispered, her voice wavering, "I thought…I thought I lost you." A rebellious tear she tried so hard to hold back, fell from her eyes.

"No, I'm right here, Rei-chan," Minako said softly in a comforting tone as she returned the embrace, stroking the archer's silky hair. After a moment, she gently broke out of Rei's hold to look at her. Her cerulean eyes saddened when she saw the wet trail on Rei's cheek. She brought a hand up to wipe the tear away with her thumb, "I just went to press the button that closed the door. You couldn't sense me?"

Rei shook her head, "No, sometimes when I get really emotionally charged, it makes it hard to sense things. It's almost like it overrides it to some extent," she explained softly, "I couldn't sense you until you touched me."

"Mmn, I see," Minako nodded. A sad smile came to her lips, "I guess I need to earn your trust too," she said softly, almost to herself. She moved her hand up to brush Rei's bangs out of her eyes, "I'm sorry for being so harsh earlier, Rei-chan. I was really upset, but I meant what I said. This can't work if we're not honest and talk to each other." She pulled Rei into another embrace, enjoying the feeling of being in the taller woman's arms. She smiled gently, "And I _do_ want this to work, whatever _this_ is. I want to discover what this _could_ be _with_ you. Because I l-," Minako stopped herself. Her eyes widened slightly in shock, _Whoa, what the fuck!? I can't believe I almost said_ _that_ _!,_ she thought to herself. She quickly composed herself and cleared her throat, "Like you a lot, Rei-chan."

Rei smirked softly. Minako's hesitation didn't go unnoticed and she could feel her orange-gold aura twitch with surprise and shock. She decided not to push her luck by pressing the matter or teasing Minako about it since she was still thanking Kami-sama that Minako hadn't walked out of her life. She pulled away gently and brought a hand up to caress Minako's cheek, "I like you too, Minako. I really do." Turning serious, her lavender eyes locked onto Minako's cobalt, "I promise I'll be as honest with you as possible about the physical stuff. I might need help processing and working things out, but I'll really try for you. For us."

Minako smiled. Rei was making a promise, which meant she would definitely keep it, "Good." She wrapped her arms around Rei's neck, "Seal the deal with a kiss?" she asked playfully.

Rei chuckled, feeling the tension between them lift dramatically, "Mmn," she replied as she wrapped her arms around Minako's waist. She closed her eyes as she leaned in and brought her lips to Minako's softly, who kissed her back just as sweetly.

* * *

As they continued to kiss, the earlier spark they had between them began to ignite again. The kiss slowly deepened, timidly at first, but soon escalated until they were both panting for air, holding each other desperately close.

Minako pushed her body into Rei's, gently pinning the archer against the elevator wall. The motion brought Rei back to herself and her eyes shot open and she gently pushed Minako away, breaking the kiss, "M-Minako," she panted, her voice carrying a touch of concern, "Just...Just because I said I wanted you, doesn't mean we have to do this."

"What are you saying, Rei-chan?," Minako asked. She smirked slyly, "Are you saying you _don't_ want to continue where we left off?," she asked sensually as she leaned in and licked the corner of Rei's mouth teasingly. She smiled slyly as she felt the taller woman shudder and let out a soft gasp, "Are you saying you _don't_ want to take me...right here...right now?"

"N-No, I...I do," Rei replied, having a little trouble responding due to Minako's action and words. It also didn't help that she could see and feel Minako's aura beginning to take on the form of a low, ominous flame, "I...I just don't want you going along with it _just_ because _I_ want it. It's...It's not fair to you. Especially since I'm not ready to-"

"I know," Minako said softly as she pulled away and silenced Rei gently with a finger, "And that's ok, Rei-chan. Yes, I want you, but I'm ok with waiting until you're ready, whenever that may be." She removed her finger from Rei's alluring lips and leaned in, brushing her cheek against Rei's, "But that _doesn't_ mean I'm ok with waiting for you to make me yours," she breathed into her ear.

Rei's breath hitched at Minako's words. She tightened her grip on the smaller woman as she felt an orange-gold, blazing aura beginning to course through her, "Please, Rei-chan," Minako continued, pleading desperately, "I _need_ you. I _want_ you to take me."

"Kami-sama," Rei breathed, "I want you, Minako."

"Tell me what you want to do to me, Rei-chan," Minako whispered seductively.

"Minako," Rei blushed slightly, "I don't even know where to begin."

"Don't be shy, Rei-chan," Minako encouraged softly, "I want to hear what you want to do to me."

"No, that's not what I meant," Rei replied softly. Minako pulled away to look at the archer, noticing the blush that was forming on her cheeks, "I mean, I know _what_ to do, I'm not _totally_ naïve about this stuff, but I...just don't know where to begin. So...," she paused as the blush darkened slightly, "What do you _want_ me to do to you?"

Rei's eyes widened as Minako's aura nearly doubled in intensity. A sly smirk formed on Minako's lips as an idea came to her. Her breath quickened as her hooded, sapphires locking into Rei's amethysts, boring into them with lust, "I want you to use your instincts, Rei-chan," she whispered huskily.

Rei look at Minako quizzically as she watched the smaller woman close her eyes. After a few seconds, a small smile graced Minako's lips as she began moaning softly. Rei could feel Minako's body twitch ever so slightly against her, her aura was flaring violently with every movement. Suddenly, it finally dawned on Rei what Minako was trying to say. Smirking, Rei closed her eyes and focused her abilities on what Minako was envisioning in her mind.

* * *

After a few moments, Rei's eyes shot open. Her heart was racing as adrenaline coursed through her veins. She was panting heavily as if she had forgotten to breathe during that brief period of time. Minako opened her eyes slightly,

"M-Minako," Rei panted as she looking into Minako's burning gaze, "A-Are you sure?"

"Yes," Minako breathed as she nodded to emphasize her point, "I trust you, Rei-chan. I know you won't hurt me."

Rei raised an eyebrow at Minako and smirked, "You're right, you're _not_ as innocent as you look."

"Gods, Rei-chan, just shut up and fuck me already," Minako hissed desperately.

As soon as the words left Minako's mouth, Rei spun them both so Minako was pinned against the wall. She quickly grabbed Minako's wrists and pinned them firmly above her head. Minako gasped loudly with a mix of surprise and erotic excitement.

"Is this what you wanted, Minako?" Rei challenged in a low voice.

"Yes! Gods, yes," Minako gasped, her heart beginning to race.

"'Yes', what, Minako?," Rei challenged as she moved her thigh slowly in between the smaller woman's legs, pressing it against her. Minako moaned at the motion. Her penetrating azure eyes fluttered as she tried to continue watching her beautiful dominator. Seeing Rei's amethyst eyes burning with intensity and desire, Minako knew then that they had started.

"Yes…Rei-sama," Minako breathed.

"That's a good girl," Rei purred in a low, soft voice, almost teasingly.

* * *

 ** _Wrrrr…..Ding!_**

The elevator stopped and the doors opened to its final destination, the 25th floor, Rei's floor.

The two women didn't move, chests heaving with anticipation, knowing that once they moved...there was no turning back.

Rei smirked as she leaned closer to Minako's ear, "I can already tell that I'm going to enjoy playing with your aura, Minako," she said in a sensual tone. She tilted her head down slightly to trail her tongue up Minako's neck. She smiled to herself as she heard Minako gasp and saw Minako's aura flare from the sensation. As Rei nipped at her neck, a whimper of pleasure came from the smaller woman while her aura continued to blaze uncontrollably. She chuckled softly as she pulled back to look at the gorgeous blonde, "But I'm _not_ going to take you here."

Minako responded by leaning forward and snapping her teeth at Rei in protest. Her aura flared rebelliously with a passionate and desperate fierceness as if challenging the archer. Rei used her body to push Minako firmly back against the wall, reclaiming her dominance and making Minako moan loudly as her thigh hit its intended target again.

"Ah, ah, aah," Rei tisked as she smirked and shook her head, "My game, my rules. Understand?"

"Yes, Rei-sama," Minako whimpered needily.

"Good," Rei whispered approvingly in a controlled tone as she watched Minako's aura continue to flare but with more submissiveness. She chuckled lowly, "Yep, I'm _really_ going to enjoy this," she said almost to herself, "I don't think you know how much of a pyro I am, Minako, but you're going to find out." She pulled away, leaving Minako aching for her, as she kept Minakos hands firmly in place above her head, "Now, I'm going to let you go so I can pick up my jacket. If you move, everything stops. Is that what you want?"

Minako shook her head quickly, "No, Rei-sama," she panted.

"Good girl," Rei cooed slyly. She released Minako and took a small step back from the smaller woman. She smirked slyly as she watched Minako stay perfectly still other than her chest, which rose and fell heavily with her labored breathing, and her cobalt eyes, which followed Rei's every movement.

Keeping her intense, amethyst eyes locked on Minako's hooded sapphires, Rei slowly knelt down. Once she got to the floor, she reached down with her left hand and grabbed her jacket while her right hand rested gently on the inside of Minako's right ankle. A delightful shudder ran through Minako's body at the contact and Rei licked her lips as she felt Minako's aura, laced with lust and desperate need, flow through her hand. Without breaking their gaze, Rei slowly stood up, bringing the jacket with her while dragging her hand lightly up Minako's leg.

Minako couldn't hold Rei's gaze any longer as her eyes rolled back in her head and she closed them tightly. The sensation from Rei's touch caused an overwhelming throb of anticipation deep inside of her, threatening to cause her collapse. She sucked in air through her gritted teeth, trying her hardest not to move but finding it nearly impossible. She let out a loud gasp as Rei's fingers trailed up the back of her perfectly toned calf, tracing along the inside of her knee, under her skirt, up her smooth inner thigh...

And Minako let out a half groan, half whimper of frustration when Rei's fingers stopped just inches short of where she desperately wanted them to be, "Fuuuuck," Minako whimpered raggedly as her breath quickened. Rei moved closer so that she was only inches from Minako, keeping her hand in place on the inside of her thigh.

"That was very good, Minako," Rei smirked in a low, seductive tone, "For that, you get a reward." She leaned in and pressed her lips against Minako's as her tongue dipping into the smaller woman's panting mouth. Minako's tongue responded with fervor to the kiss, making up for her immobility. Rei dragged her nails gently against Minako's inner thigh as she pulled her hand out from under her skirt, causing Minako to gasp in her mouth and tremble at the sensation. Rei abruptly cut the kiss short before Minako had her fill, chuckling lowly as she pull away. Minako whimpered as her head lolled back against the wall.

"Gods...please, Rei-sama," Minako begged needily as she opened her eyes to take in Rei's image.

"Bring your arms down in front of you, wrists together," Rei commanded in a low, controlled voice.

Minako obeyed, elated that she was being allowed to move again as it meant she was getting closer to what she desired. She would play Rei's game gladly, _perfectly_ even, if it meant getting there faster.

Rei reached around and pulled Minako's hair ribbon until it came loose and freed her golden, silky locks. Draping her jacket over her arm, she took the ribbon in both hands and quickly bound Minako's wrists together firmly. Once she finished with her task, Rei slid her left hand under Minako's right elbow, pulling her towards the door,

"Follow," Rei commanded as she led Minako out of the elevator and towards her room. Before Rei turned to lead the way, Minako caught Rei's lavender eyes and could see an intense excitement in them. Having the knowledge of Rei wanting this just as much as she did only made Minako want it that much more.

As Rei quickly led them both towards her room, her right hand went to retrieve her room key card from her pocket. When they reached room 2525, Rei swiftly swiped the card into the card reader.

 ** _Shick...Click Click!_**

Once the door unlocked, Rei pushed the door open with more force than necessary, quickly pulling Minako into the room with her.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Bonus points if you know who the characters are that were in the elevator with Rei and Minako. Since I'm not explicitly naming them, I think I'm ok getting away with not citing them for now. But citations will appear in A/Ns of Chapter 16 for those who can't guess who they are!

 _Fun Fact:_ See A/Ns at the end of Chapter 5 for explanation.

13th Floor - This was covered in the A/N at the end of Chapter 9.

3rd Floor - Cross-dresser and 3rd Celestial Warrior discovered in character's respective anime series. Fights on the side of a certain phoenix god (Bird of the South). The Chinese clothing and bangles might be a hint...

6th Floor - The number for the characters' Riot Force (if that isn't a big enough hint).

Room 2525 - A word most associated with Sailor Venus. In Japanese, the word is 'ai'.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 09/2013)


	16. Chapter 16

**Author Note:** Things have been crazy with work, lots of check-ups from my procedure, and my seasonal job started a couple months ago that'll last probably until February =P::: With all that, I'm not sure how consistently I'll be able to post anymore (as you probably could already tell -_-;;)

Though this story _will_ contain lemons, they're just a small part of the whole. Their relevance will hopefully reveal itself as the story progresses.

 _Chapter 15 Pop-Quiz Answers:_

 _1 -_ In Chapter 9, what's the first line of the song Usagi and Minako sing together in the car on the way to the hotel?  
 ** _Put on your shades, 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames tonight, yeah, baby (tonight, yeah, baby)._**

 _2 -_ In Chapter 2, what's the last line of the song Rei listens to while she's unpacking her archery gear?  
 ** _She's a dominatrix supermodel beauty queen._**

 _3_ \- What's the rating of this story?  
 ** _Rated M_** _ **(for some language and some lemon)**_

I guess I should have been more clear in Chapter 15 that this was an open-book quiz. Feel free to look back at previous chapters for answers! ^_^ I wonder how many of you could tell what was to come with these tiny hints?

 _Bonus Question Answers:_

 _1_ \- 3rd Floor Character: Cross-dresser and 3rd Celestial Warrior discovered in character's respective anime series. Fights on the side of a certain phoenix god (Bird of the South). The Chinese clothing and bangles might be a hint...  
 ** _Nuriko from Fushigi Yûgi_**

Watase, Y. (1992). _Fushigi Yûgi_. Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan: Shogakukan

 _2_ \- 6th Floor Characters: The number for the characters' Riot Force (if that isn't a big enough hint).  
 ** _Fate T. Harlaown, Nanoha Takamachi, and Vivio Takamachi from Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha_**

Seven Arcs Co., Ltd. (Producer). (2004). _Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha_ [Television series]. Nakano, Tokyo, Japan: Japanese Association of Independent Television Stations.

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 16:**

The layout of Rei's room was the same as Usagi and Mamoru's, but in mirror image. Housekeeping had already come and gone earlier that night, leaving only the lamp closest to the window on that bathed the room in a soft, inviting glow.

 ** _...Cha-Chunk_**

The door closed behind the two women smoothly. Once inside, Rei turned to face Minako, who was breathing heavily,

"Take off your shoes and face the wall," Rei commanded in a low, controlled voice.

Minako nodded softly. She smoothly slid out of her heels then turned to face the wall of the entryway.

Rei quickly slipped off her own heels and set them, along with Minako's, neatly in front of the opposite wall where the wall-closet was located. She carefully hung her jacket on a knob of one of the closet doors before turning towards Minako again, who now had her back facing Rei.

She took a moment to examine this blonde creature, this femme fatale who had ensnared her attention so completely. This woman's voice, her scent, her taste...her aura...it stirred and awakened a part of her she never knew existed while, simultaneously, heightened another that she was very well aware of in herself. Did Minako have any idea as to what she was asking when she suggested they take part in this risque game?

As she continued to stare at the gorgeous blonde from behind, she found herself being drawn to her, reaching out to her, needing to touch her.

* * *

A slight shiver ran down Minako's spine and her breath hitched at the sudden sensation of Rei's fingers lightly brush against the skin of her neck and back. Rei scooped Minako's hair up and carefully tossed it over Minako's left shoulder so that it cascaded down her front, revealing the back of her dress, her smooth, bare upper-back, shoulders, and the self-tie sash of her dress that was fastened at the nape of her neck.

Minako closed her eyes and a soft moan came from the back of her throat as Rei's hands gently went to Minako's shoulders.

As Rei followed Minako's arms downwards, she stepped forward, bringing her body closer to Minako's in the process.

Slowly becoming captive within Rei's embrace, her hands still bound, hearing Rei's breath and feeling it against the right-side of her neck, Minako leaned back into Rei gently, reveling in the warmth of her body as she focused her attention on Rei's hands, which continued to glide slowly, almost agonizingly so, down her arms. The sensations made Minako become too alert, too aware, and she swallowed nervously, silently willing Rei's hands to continue their descent down her body and take her where she stood.

"Not yet, Minako," Rei whispered softly with a sly chuckle against Minako's neck as her hands stopped at the teal hair ribbon around the gorgeous blonde's wrists and began untying the intricate knots. She could feel Minako's aura coursing desperately through her, begging for Rei to provide her with the release her body so desperately needed.

No, the archer wasn't done toying with Minako just yet. There was still so much more she wanted to...needed to do, "Place your hands on the wall in front of you," she whispered, "Same rule applies, no moving unless I say so. Got it?"

"Yes, Rei-sama," Minako groaned needily in a whisper.

Rei smirked as she freed Minako's hands and took a step back. She quickly folded up the hair ribbon and stuffed it into her pocket as Minako obediently reached out and placed her hands on the wall in front of her.

* * *

Minako was panting heavily and shaking slightly as she stared at the blank wall, partially from the stimulation Rei had incurred upon her until now, but mostly from anticipation. Not knowing what Rei would do to her, or _make_ _her_ do, made Minako's arousal almost unbearable. She loved it and hated it at the same time, which only fed her desire for Rei to quench her needy urges sooner than later.

Rei was becoming increasingly mesmerized by Minako's aura. She could tell how sensitive Minako had become from this game they were playing by the way it swayed and flickered almost abruptly with even the _slightest_ sensation. She smirked as she read the overwhelming desire and desperation in it.

As she experimented by hovering her hand over Minako's skin below her neck, just close enough to feel its heat but not enough to touch, she was intrigued by how the fiery aura flared in anticipation and seemed to follow her hand as it moved, almost begging for contact. She paused for a moment, deciphering Minako's desires.

* * *

Minako let out a half-moan, half-whimper of pleasure as she closed her eyes tightly, her back arching reflexively. Out of nowhere, stinging lines had raked from her neck, down her back, ending where her dress was fastened. The scratches weren't hard enough to hurt, but enough to make her skin come alive from the delicious pain. A small, almost satisfied smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she dug her fingers into the wall, trying to focus on not moving lest Rei kept her word and stopped everything. Her eyes slowly opened as she felt a tug on her dress from Rei slowly unzipping the back.

 **Zzziiiiipppppp...**

Minako felt the dress loosen all the way down past her hips where the zipper stopped. As she heard Rei chuckle softly with amusement, a sly smile formed on her lips as she recalled what she had decided to wear underneath her dress that night,

"You left quite an impression on me last night," Minako said coyly.

"I can see that," Rei replied with a smirk as she eyed the flame-red strapless bra and matching thong underwear Minako had on. She moved closer to Minako's ear, "I almost wouldn't be surprised if you _planned_ this, you little minx," she whispered teasingly with a sensual undertone.

"How could I? I didn't even know you'd be here," Minako replied matter-of-factly as she continued to face the wall. A smug smirk played across her lips, "But a girl can have her fantasies, can't she?," she whispered seductively.

A startled, passionate scream came from Minako's lips as she felt teeth bite firmly into the crook of her neck.

* * *

Minako's aura had flared so rebelliously, Rei couldn't help herself and had to...needed to...bring it under control. As the sound of Minako's impassioned scream reached her ears, Rei quickly released her hold on Minako's neck and gently licked the area soothingly.

"Sorry," Rei whispered softly with concern as she placed a gentle kiss on the area, "Was that too hard?"

"No," Minako whispered sincerely as she panting and shook her head slightly. A sly smirk slowly pulled at the corner of her lips, "Not hard enough…Rei-sama," she replied in an almost mocking tone as her aura flared defiantly at the archer.

Her deep-cobalt eyes rolled back in her head and a desperate gasp escaped her lips as Rei's left hand buried itself in her hair and grabbed a fistful of her silky, blonde tresses. She sucked in air through her teeth as her head was snapped back by Rei's firm pull,

"Be careful what you wish for, Minako," Rei whispered in a low growl that hinted at a sly grin, "Your fantasy's about to become reality."

As Rei unhooked Minako's bra in one quick movement with her right hand, she leaned in and collected one end of the self-tie sash between her teeth and roughly pulled until the bow came undone. After spitting the sash out and leaving the thin pieces of fabric to hang loosely down Minako's creamy back, she spun Minako around to face her.

The sudden movement cause Minako to gasp and pant with erotic excitement as Rei firmly pushed her up against the wall, holding her by the shoulders at arms length.

Rei's deep-violet eyes watched hungrily as the teal dress and flame-red bra slowly slipped off of Minako's body, as if melting off of her, with every breath the smaller woman took. Both articles of clothing fell silently to the ground, revealing flawless, creamy skin, perfectly shaped breasts that rose and fell with Minako's breathing, and a perfectly toned stomach.

Minako watched as Rei's eyes widened, drinking her in.

"Kami-sama…," Rei gasped quietly in astonishment. Minako was beautiful. Her form, her image, every inch of her, was...breathtaking. Rei knew instantly she was in the presence of a goddess. She found herself completely torn between a deep desire to kneel before Minako, worship her, submit to her perfection...and an equally deep desire to have her way with her and make this alluring creature hers.

As Rei deliberated within herself, Minako's fiery aura violently surged through Rei's arms and gave her the incentive she needed: She gave in to the latter desire.

* * *

Minako's eyes widened with excitement as she saw a flash of something wild in Rei's deep-amethyst eyes. Before she knew it, the raven-haired woman had pin Minako to the wall with her body, savagely attack her neck with bruising kisses and sensually, painful bites that made all of Minako's muscles clench deliciously. One of Rei's hands grabbed Minako's blonde hair, pulling her head to the side to allow her access to more skin. She felt Rei's other hand roughly explore her body, raking nails across her skin, pulling her closer, and ending on one of her breasts, alternating between stroking and pinching her nipple.

Minako couldn't stop the string of loud gasps and moans that came forth from her parted lips. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she quickly lost herself to the force that was Rei, pushing her closer and closer towards the edge of ecstasy. She brought her arms up to wrap around Rei in a death grip, willing her not to stop as she dug her fingers desperately into the fabric of her shirt.

Without warning, Minako found her arms quickly pinned above her head as Rei's body moved away. She opened her deep-cerulean eyes and was met by intense, lavender orbs staring back at her,

"Did I say you could move?," Rei challenged in a low voice as she smirked.

 _Shit!,_ Minako thought to herself in a panic as her eyes widened. She had lost herself so completely in Rei's actions that she had forgot about the game.

"N-No...Rei-sama," Minako said meekly, her voice barely audible. She let out a ragged moan as Rei moved closer, pressing her thigh between Minako's legs.

"I'm sorry. I can't quite hear you, Minako," Rei whispered in a low, teasing tone.

"No, you didn't! Gods, please! _Please_ don't stop!," Minako's words came out in a panicked plea. She was close, so _very_ close...and Rei could sense it, _feel_ it even in her blazing aura.

"I'll give you a choice," Rei whisper as she breathed into Minako's ear, "I can stop everything right now, or...you can submit to punishment." Rei smirked slyly as she saw Minako's aura radiate with hope and excitement, "What shall it be, Minako?"

"Please," Minako breathed, "Punish me…Rei-sama."

"That a girl," Rei cooed in approval. "Now, I'm going to release you. When I do, I want you to walk to the bed, lay on your back in the middle of it with your hands above your head. Understand?"

"Yes, Rei-sama," Minako replied with an eager nod.

"Good. Now, go," Rei whispered as she released Minako's hands and took a step back.

* * *

Minako slowly lowered her arms, keeping her blazing sapphires on the raven-haired beauty. After a brief moment, she turned and headed towards the bed slowly, purposefully strutting with a seductive sway as she moved. As a small rebellion, once she got to the edge of the bed, she turned to look at Rei through hooded eyes over her shoulder and caught Rei licking her lips as she watched Minako's every movement intensely.

Minako smirked softly as she turned towards the bed again and slowly crawled onto it with her hands and knees, knowing that Rei was following her every move. She moved her legs to the side and gracefully sat down on the bed. Turning to look at Rei, she laid back, lowering herself to lie in the middle of it, and brought her hands above her head.

Their eyes never left each other as Rei walked over to the bed and crawled on top of Minako on her hands and knees. The two women stared intently into each other's eyes, taking in the moment and each other.

Without a word, Rei sat up and reached into her pocket to pull out the satin hair ribbon. Unraveling it with both hands, she brought it up to Minako's eyes and carefully secured it around Minako's head, blindfolding her.

Once Rei had finish with her task, Minako felt Rei's cheek brush her own, her breath tickling her ear, "Very well done, Minako," Rei whispered, "For that, your reward will be a slightly shorter punishment. You'll get what you've been wanting _very_ soon...I promise."

Rei chuckled softly to herself as she watched Minako squirm at her promise. Her aura flared excitedly and the archer enjoyed knowing she was the cause of it, her pyromaniac instincts reveling in being able to manipulate the seemingly uncontrollable flame that was Minako.

* * *

Minako felt the bed shift as Rei's presence moved away from her.

 ** _Click…Rrrrrrrrrrrr-thuk_**

She heard the distinct sound of metal clicking and fabric being quickly rubbed before abruptly stopping. It almost sounded like-

 ** _Snap!_**

Minako jumped slightly and her heart began racing at what sounded like a whip being cracked loudly.

"No moving, Minako," she heard Rei say warningly with teasing amusement. As Minako began suspecting what Rei was doing to make that noise-

 ** _Snap!_**

Minako jumped again reflexively, this time gasping. Being unable to see what Rei was doing not only heightened her other senses, but her arousal as well and a small smile pulled at the corner of her lips.

"Your aura's really telling, Minako," she heard Rei say in a seductive tone. She could tell by Rei's voice that the raven-haired woman was smirking, "You _really_ like that sound, don't you?"

"Yes, Rei-sama," Minako panted as she nodded slightly.

"That's too bad," Rei replied softly, "I have other plans for this belt since it seems you can't keep still on your own."

The bed shifted and she felt the warmth of Rei's body hovering above her. Sure fingers wrap something that felt like smooth leather around one of her wrists. The headboard creak slightly before she felt smooth leather wrap around her other wrist.

As Rei continued with her task, Minako took the opportunity to inhale deeply, taking in the intoxicating smell of vanilla that came from the devastatingly beautiful, raven-haired woman just above her. She lifted her head as best she could towards her captor, trying to steal a kiss off that lithe body, but was only able to barely brush her lips along Rei shirt. The mental image of the tantalizing woman hovering above her, just out of reach, made Minako's desires pulsate. She dropped her head back down on the pillows in defeat.

The bed shifted as Rei's presence retreated from above her. Minako tested moving her arms, finding them firmly held in place by Rei's belt, which was attached to the slat headboard.

Her attention was soon grabbed by delicate fingers dancing lightly along the waistband of her thong. She felt them hook underneath the elastic tentatively, almost hesitantly, as she began slowly slipping them down her legs.

Minako's breath quickened. Having nothing else to focus on in her state of restraint, Rei's fingers as they traced along her skin was almost becoming too much for her to stand. She needed a distraction, another sensation, _something_ to take her mind off of the agonizingly slow, tingling sensations against her already sensitive skin.

* * *

Rei slid the thong off completely and casually threw them off the side of the bed. She took a moment to admire the blonde vixen. It surprised her how much she was enthralled by this gorgeous woman. Now here she was, tied up and blindfolded by her own hands, enticingly naked on her bed, squirming and panting in anticipation for her. Her orange-gold aura was flickering violently as if searching for Rei, trying to reach out to her, begging for the archer to quickly and mercilessly satiate her primal desires.

Though this game was all by Minako's telepathic suggestion, Rei was taken aback by how much the gorgeous blonde trusted her at this very moment, allowing herself to be subjected to Rei's whims so willingly. She had given herself to Rei without asking for anything in return. She had, essentially, given all the power to Rei to do with her whatever she liked,

 _I can't believe how much she trusts me, s_ he thought to herself. She vowed in that moment to never betray the gorgeous woman's trust.

But, back to the matter at hand. There was still the issue of Minako's punishment. Rei's clear, lavender eyes casually scanned the room for ideas and landed on the circular coffee table near the couch where housekeeping had graciously set out a tray with two complimentary bottles of water, two highball glasses, and...

* * *

Minako felt the bed shift as Rei got up from the bed. She heard the sound of soft footsteps moving away from her, _Where is she going?_

 ** _Clink…clink…clink...crrrack...gluglug..._**

Minako's eyes shot open behind the blindfold. She _knew_ what _that_ sound was! _Anyone_ would, there was _no_ question about it! Her adrenaline began coursing through her, _Oh, fuck! Is Rei-chan_ _really_ _going to-_

"Ah!," Minako let out a startled scream. Her body bucked reflexively, her hands pulling against their restraints, as she felt a very cold, wet trail start from the middle of her chest and slowly drag down her body towards her naval where it stopped. As Minako panted heavily, she felt the bed shift and she couldn't help but moan as a hot tongue dip teasingly into her navel. It slowly follow the trail up her torso to the starting point between her breasts, ending in a soft kiss.

The biting cold and sudden change in temperature from Rei's tongue sent electric waves throughout Minako's body. She surprisingly found herself wanting more.

As if sensing her desires, she felt another cold trail start at her hip and traveled up her side. She bit her lip and shivered as it crossed diagonally up her stomach towards her breast, ending on her very sensitive nipple, lingering on it for a bit.

"Fuck," Minako whimpered softly as her body squirmed without her permission from the sensation. She sighed gratefully as a hot tongue began following the cold path, starting at her hip and trailing up her body, soothing her goosebumps. When it reached her nipple, she let out a gasp as the tongue flicked it teasingly, causing her to arch her back. An erotic moan escaped her lips as her nipple was enveloped by Rei's mouth.

As Rei began slowly sucking, occasionally teasing and flicking with her tongue, Minako continued to moan and arch her back as if offering as much of herself to Rei as possible,

"Gods...don't stop," Minako whispered in between moans. Her voice had become almost hoarse from panting and gasping. Her mouth was dry and she licked her lips, trying to alleviate the tightness in them from lack of moisture. She felt Rei gently release her now swollen nipple,

"Here, open your mouth," Rei whispered huskily. Minako obeyed and felt the corner of a cold, wet ice cube enter her mouth.

"Suck," Rei said softly. Minako closed her lips over the ice cube, swirling her tongue over it gratefully, swallowing the soothing, cool droplets of water that melted and ran towards the back of her throat.

"Better?," Rei ask softly, concern underlying her tone. Minako nodded slightly as she continued drinking from the ice cube.

She felt the bed shift and the ice cube was gently pulled from her mouth, only to be replaced by a very warm tongue that gently caressed her now cold tongue. Though the kiss held and edge of passion in it, it was less heated, less forceful than their previous ones. There was meaning in it, a depth that Minako couldn't quite decipher.

Before she became lost in it, Minako's breath hitched as she felt cold, wet fingers trail up her inner thigh. She moaned desperately into Rei's mouth as two of those cold fingers began stroking the length of her warm folds teasingly.

* * *

A needy cry came from Minako lips as the kiss ended and the tip of one finger dipped gently between her folds and stroked the small mound of nerves that lay within. She found herself convulsing slightly and panting heavily from the action. She groaned in frustration as Rei's hand retreated from her body. Her insides clenched, still reeling from the sensation, only to throb with need as she felt the bed shift and heard the soft sounds of sucking, lips smacking, and a soft hum of pleasure.

"You taste sweet, Minako," she heard Rei said huskily, almost as if she were musing to herself. Minako felt the bed shift again.

"Oh, Gods!," Minako's screamed in ecstasy. Her head shot back and her hips bucked as she felt a warm tongue slide inside her. Strong arms snaked under her thighs and wrapped around each leg, holding her firmly in place. Her body continued to move on its own against the restraints that held her arms and legs in place as if desperately trying to increase the contact between her and Rei's mouth.

She felt the tongue swirl up her slit until it began gently teasing the small mound that was now _very_ sensitive from the earlier stimulation. The string of moans that came from Minako only increased in volume as she felt Rei's lips envelope the hard mound and gently alternate between sucking and flicking it with her tongue. Minako's body began quivering involuntarily in time with the controlled sensations that were just enough to keep her on the edge, but not enough to push her over.

"Please…Rei-chan," Minako pleaded in between heaving breaths, "I…I can't…please…"

She whimpered when she felt the lips and arms that held her captive retreat from her body. She felt the bed shift as Rei crawled up her body, hovering inches above her. Her now hypersensitive skin tingled as she felt every piece of fabric from Rei's clothes that gently brushed against her nude form, every strand of silky raven-colored hair that whispered up her body.

"I know," Rei's smooth voice whispered softly in her ear, "I can tell you can't take much more of this." Minako couldn't help but smile to herself as she noted a soft panting in Rei's voice, which had been low and controlled up until now. Though she was thoroughly enjoying having Rei punish her, the thought of Rei also enjoying torturing her into delirium, made her almost lose herself right then.

But that's _not_ what Minako needed. No, she needed something _much_ more.

* * *

Minako's breath became ragged as she felt Rei's gently separate her legs. Soft fingers gently teased the outside of her most intimate area,

"I know what you want, Minako," Rei whispered, subtle excitement underlying her smooth voice, "But I want to hear you say it. Tell me what you want me to do."

"Please...Rei-chan…," Minako pleaded, her voice trembling with need. Her hips rocked, trying to meet Rei's fingers, "I need you…I need you inside me...please-"

Minako's head shot back sharply and a scream of pleasure tore from her lips as two fingers slid deep inside of her. This time there were no pauses, no interruptions, as Rei continued to slide her fingers in and out of Minako in a steady rhythm.

"Yes…harder…mmm-faster…please, Rei-chan," Minako moaned. She could feel all her muscles begin to slowly clench as she felt Rei move inside of her, following her requests. Minako's hands tightened around the belt holding her wrists.

"Don't stop…harder…fuck me, Rei-chan…Gods…Rei-chan," Minako whispered.

"Come for me, Minako," she heard Rei whisper softly in her ear before her mind shut down, allowing the overwhelming sensations that had built up inside of her to finally take over.

* * *

As Minako climaxed loudly, Rei watched in awe as orange-gold colors exploded outwards from her lithe body. It felt as if time had stopped and Rei took a sharp intake of breath as waves of Minako's aura pulsated and shot through her. Her eyes widened as her body tensed. The aura that rippled through her and around her felt hot but caused the hairs on her skin to stand on end in goosebumps as if she were cold. She felt as if every emotion known to man was surging through her all at once. She wanted to cry, to laugh, to scream. She felt like every answer to every question in the universe was surging through her in the form of orange-gold rays.

As she allowed herself to be pulled into its power, she fell into a state of nirvana in the center of it. She began seeing flashes of herself. Images of her smirking and sitting at Minako's make-up station in Kirei, in pajamas sitting at her dining room table, flicking her hair and shooting a glass of sake, kneeling next to Hotaru watching a fiery hummingbird, in miko robes with the teal hair ribbon blindfolding her eyes as she caught the arrow, bowing after breakdancing.

It slowly dawned on her that she was seeing herself from Minako's eyes and that the euphoric ecstasy Minako was currently experiencing was being associated with images of…her.

A stray tear made its way out of her piercing, lavender eyes and trailed down her cheek as the orange-gold aura slowly pulled away from her. As it left her body, it drew a gasp from Rei's lips as if taking her breath away with it. It retreated back to its owner and glowed in its familiar warm way around Minako's form.

* * *

As Minako came down, she felt Rei's fingers slowly slide out of her, making her body twitch involuntarily. She was spent and felt paralyzed from her exertion, barely able to move. Her body shuddered and trembled reflexively as she panted to catch her breath.

Through her haze of exhaustion, she heard the soft sounds of sucking and lips smacking again before the bed shifted and Rei's presence moved from above her to her left side. She felt soft hands gently freeing her arms from their leather constraints. Soft thumbs soothingly rubbed each of her wrists as her arms were brought down from above her head to rest gently on her chest. She felt the hair ribbon gently slide up and off her closed eyes. Strong arms collected her flushed, nude form and gently turned her to press her close to a comforting, warm body that smelled sweetly of vanilla. Her forehead came to rest on Rei's chest as she felt her hair being stroked and combed by a gentle hand.

"Shhhh," Rei cooed softly as she rested her cheek on Minako's head. She held the still panting, shaking blonde close to her body and gently kissed her head as she spoke, "You're safe, Minako. You're safe."

* * *

Perhaps it was exhaustion, perhaps it was Rei's words, perhaps it was because she had her desires so completely satisfied, perhaps it was how the taller woman held her so protectively in a warm embrace. Without knowing exactly why, Minako wept softly. Her shaking fingers found the fabric of Rei's shirt in front of her and gripped it as best she could, as if trying to keep Rei from running away. She curled up and allowed herself to be held by the beautiful raven-haired woman, who embraced her tighter and closer, until exhaustion overtook her and she slipped into a deep sleep within Rei protective arms.

* * *

 **Author Note:** What happens the morning after? We'll see...

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 10/2013)


	17. Chapter 17

**Author Note:** If it's not painfully obvious yet, yes their relationship is moving very much at lightning speed.

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 17:**

Minako slowly opened her eyes as bright, warm rays of sunlight touched her face through the sheer curtains of the hotel room. She was lying on her stomach, her body tangled up in soft bedsheets. She lazily closed her eyes again and took a deep breath through her nose as she rolled to her back and stretched her arms above her head.

As she sighed and settled into this new position, her eyes shot open at the memory of how she was in a _very_ similar position just hours ago.

Feeling the aches in her muscles, Minako couldn't help but smile to herself. Her skin tingled as she relived moments from the night before that led to her losing control of her body. Rei had done _exceptionally_ well in giving her _exactly_ what she wanted. Though having the raven-haired woman dominate her was of her own telepathic request, Rei had added her own touch of creativity to the game that exceeded Minako's expectations while also respecting her unspoken limits.

She had a sense that Rei would do well in such a role. Being an observant person, Minako had picked up on the subtle fact that Rei was a bit of a control freak. The way her place was kept pristine, how she executed nearly every action with calculated precision...it was a little hard to miss. Not that Minako mind. In fact, as someone who was fairly laid back, she found it to be endearing even. Also, since Rei mentioned her aura reflected that of a blazing fire, she suspected that Rei's abilities and her pyro tendencies would serve to help the archer navigate the game safely while adding an edge of excitement and passion that Minako was looking for.

Gods, was Minako ever delighted to be _so_ right in her critical thinking skills as she was last night! Though she had coupled with a fair number of individuals before Rei, last night was, by far, _the_ best she ever had, male or female.

* * *

Though Minako was _more_ than comfortable with her body, and especially sex, she was slightly taken aback by just how absolutely exposed she was last night, moreso than now where at least she was granted the decency of covers and the freedom of her limbs. Last night, she was so _unquestionably_ vulnerable and so much at the mercy of one tragically, beautiful woman who was able to read her every emotion and desire.

She rolled to her side, away from the window, and her bright, sapphire eyes landed on the beautiful, raven-haired woman lying next to her. The archer was lying on her back, her hands folded above the blankets over her stomach, eyes closed, and breathing slowly. Minako noticed she was wearing a set of red, satin pajamas rather than the royal-blue dress shirt and white suit pants she vaguely remembered cuddling up to as she wept before falling asleep.

The memory of weeping into Rei's chest made Minako blink a few times as an uneasy feeling settled in her chest. Usually after sex, she would be exhausted, but satisfied, and would cuddle happily with her bedfellow, fall asleep, or perhaps even get up to grab a glass of water and come back. Casual actions that wouldn't take a second thought or worry.

But weeping? She tried to think of a reason as to why she would be overcome by the overwhelming urge to shed tears, but no reasonable answer came to her and it shook her to the core.

Another memory that began to surface and gnaw at her was the near slip of the tongue in the elevator earlier that night. Minako's brow furrowed as she recalled that moment,

 _I can't believe I almost said..._ _that_ _,_ she thought to herself, perplexed, _Sure, I_ _like_ _Rei-chan. What's_ _not_ _to like? She's beautiful inside and out, no question. She's perfect in everything she does. But...where the_ _fuck_ _did_ _that_ _come from? I mean, c'mon! It's been less than 48 hours!_

She continued to stare at Rei, searching, as if an answer would come to her if she kept watching the archer, _Maybe I_ _was just caught up in the moment? It_ _was_ _pretty intense. Maybe...maybe that's it,_ Minako rationalized to herself.

Satisfied with that conclusion and tabling the weeping issue for another time, she decided to be in the moment and enjoy watching the beautiful archer as she slept.

 _Gods, she's so unbelievably beautiful, even in her sleep,_ Minako smiled to herself.

* * *

Though Rei appeared to be asleep, she was actually very conscious and was reflecting on the events that have happened since she decided to walk into Kirei two nights before. Since meeting the gorgeous blonde, she not only became the first person Rei ever felt attracted to, she became the first person Rei trusted enough to share her secrets with...who soon became her first kiss, then her first…

No, Minako wasn't her lover. 'Lover' implied the participation of both parties involved. Minako was…the first person she took to bed. It didn't sound as romantic, but at least it was accurate.

Though, logically, it all seemed to be going so fast, Rei's heart kept telling her it felt…right…so very right.

Though Rei was taken aback by Minako's telepathic suggestion to play a game that required so much trust, she was even _more_ surprised by how thoroughly she enjoyed it. Her pyro instincts happily plucked the strings of her consciousness at the memory of being master to the passionate and wild flame that was Minako.

* * *

As she replayed the events of the night before in her mind, she began contemplating a riddle that had been gnawing at her ever since the two were in the elevator. The devastatingly gorgeous blonde lying next to her had given herself to Rei so completely, so willingly, and Rei was just as willing and eager to take it all.

Could she...would she...ever do the same for Minako? The thought of being so exposed, so vulnerable…

There it was again. That emotion she couldn't bear to deal with. For someone with so much self-discipline, so methodical, meticulous, and always in control, she couldn't _stand_ feeling weak. And this emotion, to her, was the epitome of that.

Fear.

It felt so foreign to her logical mind, yet as familiar and comfortable to her wounded heart as breathing. The thought of being touched in the way she unapologetically ravaged Minako's form…

It... _terrified_ her.

 _Why?,_ Rei thought. Did she trust Minako? Yes, there was no question. She _knew_ the caring blonde wouldn't hurt her, could sense it even in her aura.

 _Then why?,_ she challenged herself. She tried to think of a reason but no answer came to her and it frustrated her to no end.

Not to mention it was becoming a little difficult trying to think when she had been sensing a pair of bright, cobalt eyes staring at her for quite some time.

* * *

"Are you going to stare at me all day?," Rei said suddenly, causing Minako to yelp in surprise and jump back a bit. The makeup artist brought a hand to her chest as if to stop her heart from jumping out of her throat. A smirk played across Rei's lips as she opened her intense, amethyst eyes and lazily let her head fall to the side so she could look at the gorgeous blonde next to her.

"Shit, Rei-chan! You scared me!," Minako huffed, "I thought you were sleeping!"

"No, I've been up for a while," Rei replied casually as she took an audible breath and stretched her arms out in front of her, "I get up every day at 5:00am, it's an old miko habit. I didn't want to disturb you so I was meditating." She let out a soft, satisfied hum once she relaxed and let her arms fall.

She turned to her side to face Minako and immediately looked at the smaller woman with concern, "Kami-sama, does your neck hurt?"

Minako blinked in confusion. She lifted her head slightly and tested moving it side-to-side, "No, it feels fine," she replied casually as she relaxed back down on the pillows, "Why?"

Rei reached out and lightly brushed the crook of Minako's neck with the tip of her fingers, "You have a bruise where I bit you last night," she said softly.

"Really?," Minako chuckled with amusement.

"Mmn," Rei replied quietly. Her violet gaze went to Minako's cerulean apologetically, "Sorry...I guess it _was_ too hard."

Minako smiled and shook her head,"It ok, it doesn't hurt," she replied matter-of-factly and shrugged. A sly smirk pulled at the corner of her lips as she leaned in a little closer, "Anyways, even if it did," she purred in a low, playful tone, "It was _so_ worth it."

Rei blushed slightly at Minako's comment, though she still had a look of worry and guilt on her face. Minako softened, "Don't worry. I'm fine, Rei-chan," she said reassuringly as she reached up and brushed Rei's bangs out of her eyes, "Besides, nothing a little makeup can't fix, right?," she said as she winked and tapped Rei on the nose playfully.

Rei smiled softly. She could see Minako was telling the truth and was glad to hear that she hadn't hurt the gorgeous blonde. She gently slid her hand up to caress Minako's cheek, "Good morning, Mina," she said warmly, "How are you?"

Minako blushed at the intimate nickname and smiled softly back, "Amazing," she sighed dreamily. She scooted closer until she was snuggled up against Rei and wrapped her arm around Rei's waist, "Last night was… _so_ incredible, Rei-chan," Minako sighed contently as she nuzzled her face into Rei's chest.

Rei smiled as she wrapped her arms around Minako, bringing her closer and kissing her on the head, "Yeah…it was," she replied softly.

They stayed that way for a moment before Minako pulled away slightly to look up at Rei with concern, "Rei-chan...last night was my idea, but...that was…your first time. H-How...How are _you_?"

Rei blushed and quickly and looked away.

"Rei-chan?," Minako asked with concern, "Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," she replied reassuringly, sensing the overwhelming concern and worry in Minako's aura, "It's...It's just...ummm," she began hesitantly, "Y-You know how I promised I'd be honest with you about the physical stuff?"

"Yeah?," Minako encouraged gently. She held her breath, nervous that last night might have pushed Rei beyond her limits.

"Well...," Rei said shyly, blushing deeply now, "Your aura...it was…breathtaking. I...I couldn't get enough of it. It was almost as if I could control it like a real fire. I… _really_ liked it."

Minako sighed in relief, glad to hear that Rei didn't regret or feel uncomfortable with what they had done. She playfully narrowed her eyes and smirked, "You are _such_ a pyro," she teased.

"Mou!," Rei blushed more as she tried to hide her face in the pillows. She felt Minako's arm shift up between their bodies and a soft hand caress her cheek, coaxing her to come out from hiding. Unable to resist that protective and comforting orange-gold aura, she turned her head slowly and opened her lavender eyes shyly to find bright, azure eyes looking back at her with adoration.

"Sorry, I guess teased you too hard again," Minako smiled warmly. As Minako began stroking Rei's cheek with her thumb, the two women found themselves quickly becoming lost in each other's eyes.

After a brief moment, Rei watched Minako's eyes break their gaze and shift ever so slightly lower on her face. She felt Minako's thumb trail lower as it began softly stroking her lower lip. Rei swallowed nervously as she saw Minako's tongue peeked out ever so slightly to lick her lips as her cerulean eyes slowly became hooded. Her violet eyes widened and she watched the soft, orange-gold glow that surrounded Minako begin to morph slowly into a low, ominous fire. Rei's lips parted and she let out a soft gasp at the sight. Her breath began to quicken, which didn't go unnoticed by Minako.

"You can see it right now, can't you?," Minako asked huskily.

"Yes," Rei whispered as she slowly nodded her head.

"I like what it does to you," Minako whispered seductively. She smiled slyly as she leaned in, "So, Hino-san, who controls who? The fire? Or the pyro?"

Rei didn't have a chance to respond as Minako pressed her lips into her own. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to be taken in by the kiss and Minako's aura.

* * *

As their lips moved softly against each other, Minako slid her hand down Rei's neck to her shoulder and gently pushed her so she could roll onto her back. The two didn't break the kiss as Rei obeyed and encircled her arms around the smaller woman while Minako shifted to lie on top of her.

The feeling of Minako's flawless, nude form under her fingers, pressing into her, moving against her, lying the whole length of her body, made Rei's heart race as she deepened the kiss and held her closer, gliding her hands up and down her smooth curves, unable to get enough of the blonde goddess. She was enjoying the feeling of Minako's tongue softly caressing her own until she felt Minako's fingers slide under her shirt and begin to glide up her toned stomach.

A small, uncomfortable whimper came from the back of Rei's throat as she flinched and quickly brought one of her hands to rest on top of Minako's, stopping it from moving any further.

Minako ended the kiss gently and pulled away slightly. Rei could feel Minako's aura change back to its protective glow with strands of concern. She opened her eyes and found cobalts looking back at her, reflecting those same emotions.

"That's the second time," Minako said softly.

"What?" Rei looked at her puzzled.

"You stopping my hand," Minako explained, "The first time was at your place. That made sense since I was going downwards and you weren't ready. But, this time, I wasn't."

Rei continued to look at Minako with confusion, attempting to understand what Minako was trying to get at.

"Do you trust me?" Minako asked softly.

"Yes," Rei replied almost reflexively. She brought her free hand up to tuck Minako's hair behind her ear, allowing the sunlight to illuminate the gorgeous blonde's face with no obstructions, "I was just thinking about that this morning, how much I trust you. I feel safe when I'm with you."

"So then...why?," Minako asked softly as she brought her other hand up to cup Rei's cheek, "Are you afraid that you'll get hurt again like you did in elementary school?"

Rei was taken aback. She blinked a bit as she processed Minako's words,

"Haru-chan told me what happened," Minako continued, "How you went unconscious because a transfer student ran into you. Are you scared of allowing yourself to be touched because you're afraid of what might happen to you?"

Rei's eyes widened as the answer to the riddle she was pondering over earlier finally dawned on her, _Kami-sama...that's it._

In addition to Haruka's, Michiru's, and her grandfather's efforts to protect her by keeping her at a distance from others and themselves, Rei had found herself pulling away physically from others...out of a deep-seeded fear stemming from that one incident long ago. She didn't realize until now how much that one incident still haunted her, taking a life of its own, become an overpowering, irrational, subconscious fear that had dictated most of her life. Yes, over the years, as she matured and had a better hold on her abilities, she had grown able to tolerate allowing others to place a hand on her over clothing. Even a hug from those select few as close as Haruka and Michiru was ok...intense, but ok.

But...it never occurred to her what would happen if anyone, even those closest to her that she trusted, ever got _underneath_ the clothes...skin to skin.

The thought made her shut her eyes tightly, her jaw clenched, her breathing became erratic, shivers shot through her body that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. Somewhere deep inside of her, she felt something snap.

* * *

Minako watched as Rei's eyes turned a shade of indigo before she shut them tightly. She could feel Rei shaking slightly underneath her. Her beautiful face contorted as if she were in pain. Minako's heart broke to see someone she had come to care so much for in so much anguish _._

Though Minako's instinct was to immediately jump off of Rei or wrap her arms around her protectively, she resisted and stayed very still, afraid that, if she got off, Rei would retreat into herself and shut down where she would never be able to reach her again. They've come so far in such a short amount of time and she didn't want to lose what they already had. If she moved to hold her, it might only make things worse given this most recent realization.

"Shhhh, Rei-chan, it's ok," Minako cooed softly, "You're safe. I'm not going to hurt you. Nothing's going to happen to you. Everything's going to be ok."

Seeing as words didn't seem to ease the beautiful woman, or even reach her, Minako decided on a different approach. She closed her eyes and focused her thoughts on how much she wanted to protect Rei with everything she had, to keep her safe from harm and, at this moment, safe from herself and the demons that were plaguing her.

* * *

For someone who had been raised and trained in the art of self-control, focus, and calming the mind, Rei was quickly losing to herself.

Whether she was awake or asleep, alone or with company, her abilities were always on to some degree, allowing her to sense her surroundings. Right now, she couldn't sense _anything_ other than the overwhelming fear that shook her to the core. That, in itself, only fueled the terror that threatened to swallow her whole.

It was paralyzing. Never in her life did she feel so completely and truly alone.

Before she completely lost herself, she began to feel something: a faint, warm sensation coming from her side. She focused her attention on it, holding on to it with her senses as if her life depended on it. To some degree...Rei felt that it did.

The warmth began to spread slowly, eventually wrapping itself protectively around her midsection and going down her legs, easing her tense muscles. As it continued up her chest, her heartbeat and breath began to steady. When it reached her head, she could feel her jaw muscles begin to relax. The muscles that held her eyes shut so tightly began to loosen as well. She took slow, meditative breaths and began centering herself.

After a couple, deep breaths, she began to feel her abilities slowly coming back to her. The warmth began taking on a soft, gold glow. As Rei's abilities began returning to their full strength, an orange hue began to bleed into the gold. When it got to a certain golden-orange color, Rei's eyes began to sting behind her eyelids and she couldn't help but let out a soft breath. The orange hue continued to grow until it reached another familiar color: a strong orange-gold color that could only belong to…

* * *

Minako felt Rei's body begin to relax, her breathing became deep and slow. As she heard Rei let out a soft breath that sounded full of longing, heartache, and loss, she focused her attention on her more, willing the archer to come back to her.

She felt Rei shift underneath her and something gently stroking her cheek. Minako slowly opened her eyes and was met with Rei's adoring, amethyst gaze as she continued to gently stroke her check with the back of her fingers. A wet trail led from one of Rei's eyes down her cheek and a soft smile was on her lips.

"Rei-chan?," Minako whispered.

"Hello, Mina," Rei replied softly, "Sorry for leaving you just now."

"Oh, Rei-chan," Minako sighed in relief. She turned her head and rested it on Rei's chest, listening to her steady heartbeat, "I'm just glad you're ok."

"Mmn," Rei nodded quietly as she wrapped her arms around Minako. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I...I don't know what happened. I was really scared...I couldn't feel...anything. My abilities shut down and it was really dark. That's never happened to me before."

"I believe for someone like me that's called a panic attack," Minako said softly, "They _are_ scary. I had one when I got the call from the hospital that Mom didn't make it after the accident. Usa-neechan and Michi-chan were visiting from arts college and we were in my dorm when it happened. Usa-neechan was so shocked from the news she pretty much froze when I started shaking and I couldn't breathe. Luckily, Michi-chan was there to help me out of it."

She giggled softly, "I almost had another one when you did that _crazy_ stunt last night with the arrow. Michi-chan was helping to calm me down right before you came back to the table."

She lifted her head to look at Rei, "I don't know what it would be called for someone like you. Especially if it shuts down such a large part of your senses that you depend on."

"I think 'panic attack' is good enough," Rei replied softly. Her heart broke thinking of Minako in such a dark place. If it was anything like she just experience, Minako must have been terrified. She held the gorgeous blonde protectively and silently thanked Kami-sama for Michiru's existence and her supernatural intuition.

"I'm so sorry, Mina," Rei said sincerely.

"For what?," Minako asked.

"For scaring you into almost having a panic attack last night," Rei replied as she ran her fingers through Minako's silky hair.

"Don't be, what matters is you're safe," Minako replied as she snuggled back down onto Rei's chest.

After a moment, Minako sighed contently, "I like it when you call me 'Mina'," she said, changing the subject, "It's nice."

Rei smiled, "Mina," she whispered. Minako sighed happily and pressed herself closer to the beautiful, pale woman.

* * *

They stayed that way for a while, enjoying each other's company, until Minako lifted her head and looked up at Rei with wary concern,

"How are you now?," Minako asked.

"I'm fine," Rei replied with a smile. Minako's expression didn't change.

"Are you sure?" Minako asked.

"Yeah," Rei replied with slight confusion, "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Not exactly," Minako shook her head. She paused, as if hesitant to speak. She took a deep breath and spoke calmly and slowly, "It's just...my hand is still under your shirt."

Minako was right, Rei felt Minako's hand resting on her stomach where she had stopped it earlier. Because of Rei's panic attack, Minako was too afraid to move lest it made things worse. When Rei came back to her, she was too afraid to move lest she caused another panic attack.

"I was about to move it out from under your shirt just now but I didn't want to startle you," Minako explained.

As Rei took in the information, she realized that the warmth she held on to so desperately during her panic attack stemming from the exact spot where Minako's hand was resting.

Minako watched as Rei closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, she moved her pale hand underneath her shirt and rest on top of Minako's hand. The archer nodded slightly, signaling it was ok for Minako to move. As Minako slowly lifted her hand and slipped it out from under Rei's shirt, Rei's hand moved with Minako's until both landed softly in the exact same spot on Rei's stomach on top of her pajama shirt.

"You ok?" Minako whispered.

"Mmn," Rei nodded as she let out a breath. She smirked softly as her lavender eyes opened and sparked with renewed intensity, "Looks like there's hope after all."

Minako looked at Rei perplexed, "What do you mean?"

"When I was having my panic attack and everything was dark, your aura reached me through your hand while it was on my stomach," Rei explained, "So, even though it initially triggered the attack, it actually saved me in the end."

She blushed and looked away bashfully as she struggled to express her next thoughts, "I…I want to be...i-intimate with you... eventually…but I won't be able to if you can't touch me. So…this might be a good sign that I'm not… _totally_ broken."

Minako smiled warmily in understanding. She brought her hand up to caress Rei's cheek, "You're not broken, Rei-chan. We all have baggage. We'll take it slow, ok? I want to be with you and I want to be sure we're both on the same page when we do things. I don't want you to rush or force yourself unnecessarily."

She smirked, "And, if we're going to be together, I don't want to be the only naked one around here so we'll definitely need to work on this!," she teased **.**

Both women began giggling, breaking the serious tension. Rei wrapped her arms around Minako as Minako rested her head on Rei's chest again, enjoying listening to Rei's steady heartbeat.

Rei continued to chuckle to herself and Minako felt the vibrations in Rei's chest, "You're still laughing?"

"I was just thinking about us 'taking things slow'," Rei replied, still chuckling, "So far, we've pretty much cannon-balled into the deep end in less than two days."

"Yeah, I guess we're not really good at that game, huh?," Minako giggled.

Both women began another fit of giggling as they cuddled closer to each other, enjoying each other's presence. Once the laughter died down, Minako turned to look up at Rei, "Rei-chan?"

"Yes?," Rei responded as she met Minako's cobalt gaze.

"I meant it when I said it's ok if we take things slow. I don't want you to regret anything," Minako said sincerely.

Rei tightened her hold on Minako, "If given the choice, I would do it all the exact same way."

Minako smiled softly, "Me too." She rested her head on Rei's chest again and pressed herself closer, "I really like you, Rei-chan. I like you very much," she sighed.

"Mmn, I love-," Rei stopped herself, "being with you."

 _Shit! That was close! Baka! Blurting something out like that would definitely_ _not_ _be 'taking things slow'!,_ Rei chided herself, _It's been less than 48 hours and she's the first person you've dated. Chill the_ _fuck_ _out!_

In the midst of mentally kicking herself, a small thought crept to the forefront of her mind, _But...she almost made the same slip last night. Maybe...she feels the same way? At least to some degree?_

* * *

Minako blushed. Being pressed up against Rei, the slip didn't go unnoticed and she felt Rei's hesitation as she spoke. She decided to let it slide, chalking it up to a mere slip of the tongue as she did the night before. She quickly decided to change the subject as the uneasiness she felt from before began to creep back into her chest, "I know I should probably get up, but I _really_ don't want to," she whined playfully, "You're so comfortable.

Minako felt Rei chuckle and readjust slightly so she could look at the clock on the nightstand, "Well, it's 10:15am right now. I was actually wondering if you-"

"SHIT! REALLY!?," Minako exclaimed as her eyes widened as she suddenly pushed herself up onto her hands and knees to check the clock herself, "Fuck! Usa-neechan's going to _kill_ me! We're supposed to check out at 11:00am so they can get to a meeting back in Tokyo and all my stuff is still in Michi-chan's and Haru-chan's rooms!"

She paused for a bit, a puzzled look now taking over her countenance as she looked down at Rei, "Wait...Rei-chan, did you hear my phone go off at all this morning? Usually Usa-neechan calls me frantically if she doesn't know where I am. I'm pretty good at hearing it, but I was a little…," she blushed and looked away, "…exhausted...from last night."

Rei couldn't help but laugh at Minako's outburst and sudden mood changes, which caused Minako to lightly smacked Rei on the arm, "Mou, Rei-chan! This isn't funny!," she said with slight annoyance, "She's _really_ gonna ki-mmm!"

Minako was immediately silenced by soft lips as Rei propped herself up on her elbows to reach the frazzled, gorgeous blonde. Minako, knowing full well it was futile to resist Rei's kisses, closed her eyes and began kissing Rei back softly.

When the gentle kiss ended, Minako's eyes fluttered open and were met by caring violet eyes.

"You are _so_ beautiful, Mina," Rei mused with a small smile.

"Wh-What...," Minako stuttered, still in a daze from the kiss, "What were we talking about?"

Rei chuckled as she looked at Minako playfully, "It's ok, Mina," she said soothingly, "After you fell asleep last night, I went downstairs and told the front desk to leave Odango a message to not worry, that you were with me, and I would take you home. I figured you'd need all the rest you can get from last night so I also requested a late checkout. We have until 3:00pm if we need it. And, you know Michiru and her intuition, she sent all your bags over to my room this morning before they drove off to their honeymoon. They're in front of the closet by the door."

Rei turned and reached over to the nightstand to grab a white envelope that had the name 'Aino Minako' typed on it, "And this was slipped under the door this morning," she said as she handed it to Minako.

Minako was still processing Rei's words as she took the envelope. She leaned back to sit on her heels, still straddling Rei, as she opened it and found a note written on Elegancia stationary,

* * *

 _"Mina-chan,_

 _You HAVE to call me and tell me EVERYTHING! Don't you DARE forget or I'll NEVER forgive you! ^_^_

 _See you at Karin-chan and Azumi-chan's on Saturday!_

 _Love you,_

 _Usagi_

 _PS – Hino-san is REALLY pretty! And she seems to like you A LOT! Way to go, you!"_

* * *

Minako blushed at the note. She could practically hear Usagi squealing,

 _Mataku, Usa-neechan,_ she thought. Sometimes her older sister was such a teenager.

"Everything ok?" Rei asked as she saw Minako blush.

"Y-Yeah!" Minako laughed nervously, "Everything's fine!" She quickly folded the note, ripped it up, and tossed it in the trashcan next to the nightstand. She looked back at Rei, who was smiling warmly at her.

"Well…shit," Minako shrugged in relief, realizing that everything she had been worried about was already taken care of.

"Mina?," Rei asked as she prop herself up on her hands, "What I was going to ask you was whether you had any plans today?"

Minako thought for a bit, "No...not really. The only plans I had were to be in bed by 10:00pm at the latest so I wouldn't be late for my first day tomorrow at 7:00am. Why?"

"Well," Rei blushed, "Today's the first day of my contractual break and I didn't really make any plans. I would...really like it if I could spend it with you? I was thinking of going down to the beach and walking around?"

Minako's eyes lit up. She squealed as she pounced on the archer from excitement.

"Oof!" Rei exclaimed as she caught the gorgeous blonde and both fell back to the bed.

"Thanks, Rei-chan! I _really_ wanted to check out the beach while I was here!" Minako squealed.

"Y-Yeah, sure thing," Rei giggled as she patted Minako on the back, "C'mon, naked child, let's get dressed so we can go explore."

* * *

 **Author Note:** Nine chapters later, we've come to the end of the Elegancia scenes! =D

Again, sorry for the late updates. Hopefully more to come soon!

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 10/2013)


	18. Chapter 18

**Author Note:** So it's been...what? About 2 years since I last updated? Wow…

Lots has happened since I last updated this story, but literally not a day goes by that I don't think about it and continue to develop it in my head.

The overall story in my mind has remained the same, but it's in the details of how I want to achieve the results that keep changing and causes me to second-guess how to continue. It's maddening sometimes. Because once it's written, it's very hard to un-write it to fit a different direction that might work better. Perhaps it's the cowardice thing, forever avoiding solidifying the ideas. But, on the other hand, the story then can be forever anything and everything without the constraints or permanence of the written word. The struggle is real...

Nevertheless, to be clear, unless something out of the ordinary happens, this story _will_ have an ending, I assure you. Where I want this story to go, we're not even _close_ to halfway through yet!

Thanks to all who have been supportive in your favorites, reviews, and comments. It's been very encouraging these past two years.

 **Itterasshai** = [Japanese] "See you later" or "Have a good time"

 **Okaeri** = [Japanese] "Welcome home"

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 18:**

"I had a lot of fun today," Minako said as they walked through the modest lobby of her apartment complex to the elevators. She wore her hair up with her signature red bow and decided on flip-flops, jean cutoff shorts, and a fitted, green tank-top. The straps of her white bikini top peeked out from underneath her tank-top straps. She even expertly covered the bruise on her neck with make-up so well that even Rei forgot it was there.

Rei had opted to wear flip-flops with a flowing white skirt that went to her knees and an off shoulder, red, short-sleeved shirt that showed off the straps to her black bikini that tied around her neck.

They had gone window-shopping by the pier, walked on the beach, took photos in a photo booth, and had a quick dinner at a fast-food restaurant before they arrived at Minako's apartment complex at 9:20pm. All the while, they spent most of the time holding hands, stealing kisses, and enjoying each other's company.

"Mmn, me too," Rei replied with a smile. Not quite ready to leave her side, Rei had offered to help Minako bring her bags up to her 2nd floor apartment, which Minako quickly accepted, also not wanting their time together to end.

"Oh!," Minako exclaimed softly as Rei pressed the call button for the elevator. When Rei turned to look at Minako, the smaller woman had pulled out her phone and was quickly typing a few keys, "I almost forgot to text Usa-neechan," Minako explained. She closed her phone once the sound of a text message being sent was heard, "She turns into a hot, blubbering mess when I don't let her know I got home safe and she starts thinking of the worst."

She giggled as returned her phone to her purse, "She actually almost called the cops when I stayed over at your place on Friday because I didn't text her that I got home after working so late."

Rei chuckled, "You're right, she _is_ like a mother."

At her own words, Rei's chuckling abruptly stopped, "Ah crap," she cursed to herself as she pulled out her phone and tapped a few keys until the sound of a text being sent came from the device. She let out a sigh as she closed her phone and threw it back in her purse, "Thanks for reminding me, that could have been bad."

When her violet eyes looked back at Minako, the gorgeous blonde had a delicate eyebrow raised, "And who's keeping tabs on _you_ , Hino-san?," she asked teasingly.

"…my bodyguard," Rei replied bashfully.

"You have a bodyguard?," Minako responded with surprise.

"Y-Yeah," Rei replied with a shrug as she brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck, "He's like a mother on steroids. Once, in college, I didn't tell him I was planning on studying late in the library and my phone died. He got his team and the campus police to lock down the school while they did reconnaissance. I just happened to be finished studying and walked out of the building right before he tear-gassed the place."

"Wow," Minako giggled as Rei blushed from embarrassment, "And, here, I thought _Usa-neechan_ was bad!"

 _ **Ding!**_

The elevator arrived and both women walked in with Minako's bags. Minako pressed the button for the second floor and the door closed, allowing the elevator to ascend to Minako's floor.

 _ **Wrrrrrr….**_

As they rode the elevator up, both facing the door, Minako blushed.

"I will never be able to look at an elevator the same way ever again," Minako muttered just loud enough for Rei to hear. Rei chuckled,

"I was just thinking the same thing," Rei said softly. She reached out her hand and intertwined her fingers with Minako's.

Minako looked down at their intertwined hands and up to Rei's face, _How could this beautiful person be real?,_ she thought to herself as she studied the taller woman.

Rei, sensing a question in Minako's aura, turned to look at the smaller woman and was met by those sapphires that never ceased to capture her very being.

 _How can someone like her be real?,_ she thought to herself. She found herself needing to confirm that the gorgeous blonde standing next to her wasn't a dream and brought her other hand up to touch Minako's cheek.

Staring into Rei's eyes, Minako felt as though the archer was looking right through to her soul. The world around them disappeared and all that existed in that moment was the sound of her heart racing and the beautiful raven-haired woman before her whose eyes reflected all the adoration in the world.

Rei moved in slowly and allowed her eyes to close as she captured Minako's lips in a gentle kiss that echoed the deep emotions she felt for the gorgeous blonde. As their lips touched, Minako closed her eyes and lost herself in the devastatingly beautiful woman.

 _ **Wrrrrrr….Ding!**_

The kiss ended softly and Rei rested her forehead on Minako's, "I believe this is your stop, Mina," she whispered as she caressed Minako's cheek with her fingers.

"Mmn," Minako nodded softly, "Come inside for a bit?"

"Mmn," Rei replied. They opened their eyes and reluctantly let each other go to grab Minako's bags. Minako fished out her keys from her purse and stopped in front of a door with the numbers 212 on it. She unlocked the door and walked in.

* * *

Minako's studio apartment was moderate in size with a russet-colored, low pile loop carpeting that covered from wall to wall except in the kitchen and bathroom, which had white, marble-patterned, tile floors. To the left was an open entrance to a small kitchen with chocolate cabinets, white appliances, and a white marble counter-top that matched the floor. A breakfast bar jutted out of the far wall, perpendicular to the front door, separating the kitchen from the rest of the apartment on the right. Two, chocolate barstools were neatly tucked under the breakfast bar and out of the way. In the far, right corner of the apartment, on the same wall from which the breakfast bar came out of, was a wide, white, arched, box sash window with tinted glass that gave a view of the street and the storefronts across the way while simultaneously preventing the outside from looking in, allowing for privacy. The window was half the length of Minako's queen-sized bed, which was pushed into that corner. Covered in white Egyptian cotton sheets and a dark, burnt-orange comforter, the bed sat on a low, chocolate-colored box spring on top of a large, olive-green area rug that framed her bed along with the simple desk and chair that sat at the foot of the bed and had a laptop and small desk lamp. On the wall between the breakfast bar and the desk was a large corkboard that had an artisticly arranged collage of photos and concert ticket stubs tacked to it. The rest of the wall on the right next to the head of Minako's bed consisted of Minako's closet. Across from her bed, closest to the closet, was the bathroom and next to that was a low, wide bookshelf that spanned the rest of the wall towards the front door, which housed various fashion, hair, and makeup magazines with some personal trinkets interspersed between the organized magazines. On that, closest to the bathroom, rested a small, 20" television along with numerous framed pictures, votive candles in small, square, glass vessels, and a cute, white, cat plush doll which leaned against the television.

"Tadaima," Minako called into the apartment as she opened the door.

"You say that when you come home, too?" Rei asked as she shut and locked the door behind her.

"Mmn," Minako nodded as she took off her shoes and continued into her studio apartment, "It's an old habit. When Usa-neechan and I were younger, most of the time our mom would still be at work and the house would be empty when we would leave and come home after school. So we used to take turns on saying 'ittekimasu' and 'itterasshai' when we left or 'tadaima' and 'okaeri' when we came back."

She chuckled softly to herself, "Now, even though I know no one's home, I still find comfort in doing it-ahh!"

Minako yelped softly in surprise as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her midsection from behind, pulling her into a warm embrace.

"Okaeri," Rei whispered in Minako's ear as she rested her head on Minako's shoulder. She nuzzled her face into Minako's hair, breathing in the scent of strawberries. She felt Minako's aura tint with longing and nostalgia and held her tighter.

"Mataku, Rei-chan," Minako sniffed as she brought a hand up to wipe a stray tear from her eyes. She shifted in Rei's embrace to turn and face the beautiful raven-haired woman. Rei couldn't help but become captivated by Minako's piercing sapphire gaze. Minako wrapped her arms around Rei's neck and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on her lips.

"Thank you," Minako whispered sincerely when she ended the kiss. She slid her arms in between them and wrapped them tightly around Rei's body. She nuzzled her face into the crook of Rei's neck, breathing in the scent of vanilla, as she brought the taller woman into a closer embrace. Rei brought one of her hands up to stroke Minako's silky, gold tresses.

"Stay," Minako whispered, "Please…stay with me tonight. I don't want to be apart from you."

"Mmn," Rei replied softly, "I'll stay until you fall asleep. I know you have to get up early tomorrow."

"Mmn," Minako compromised. She placed a chaste kiss on Rei's neck and pulled away, "I'm going to get ready for bed then. Make yourself at home, ok?" She brought a hand up to stroke Rei's cheek with the back of her fingers. Rei closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. She felt Minako's fingers and aura slowly leave her as the gorgeous blonde gently broke out of the embrace and headed towards the bathroom. Rei opened her eyes as the bathroom door closed. She sighed and looked around the apartment.

Other than the knick-knacks and framed photos that made the apartment distinctly Minako's and reflected her personality, it reminded Rei so much of her room back at the shrine and she felt a strong sense of nostalgia and comfort from its simplicity, _I wonder if Mina would want to come with me to visit the shrine,_ she thought casually.

She turned and knelt down to peruse the framed photos Minako had on the bookshelf. Most of them had a younger version of her and Usagi in what looked like blue and white sailor outfits, obviously uniforms for the high school they attended. In some of them, Ami made an appearance with the same high school uniform. Rei smiled, thinking of how they all looked so happy and young in those photos. What caught Rei's eye attention was that Minako's hair was down in all of them and she would more often than not flash a confident 'V for Victory' sign with her fingers in her photos.

She stood up and casually turned around to walk towards the corkboard on the opposite wall. These photos had a more mature-looking Minako, how she was now, with the signature red bow she always wore in her hair and in white blouses and black pleated skirts, which was her college uniform. These photos mostly had Usagi and Michiru in white blouses and navy pencil-skirts, signaling a different college uniform. Haruka also made appearances in some of those photos wearing a forest green suit, white dress shirt, and maroon tie, also signaling a different college uniform. She smiled at how happy Haruka and Michiru looked together in the photos and with their friends.

After looking at the photos, she decided to lie down on the queen-sized bed to wait for Minako. She layed on her back, hands folded behind her head, and closed her eyes, deciding to pass the time by meditating.

Rei continued to wait patiently for Minako to come to bed as she heard her come out of the bathroom and shuffle around the apartment. She soon felt the bed shift and legs straddling her, while a warm aura hovered over her body. Soft strands of hair tickled her face as she felt Minako lower herself on top of her, lying the length of her body, and gently kissing her on the lips. Minako's lips coaxed Rei to deepen the kiss, which Rei gladly did. Their tongues danced gently together, feeling every sensation, and Rei could feel Minako's aura slowly turn into a gentle, low flame. Not an urgent flame of passion or desire, but something softer, meaningful, deeper. She brought her arms up to wrap around Minako and was surprised to find soft bare skin underneath her fingers.

Rei ended the kiss gently and opened her eyes to look at Minako. She smirked playfully, "You usually go to bed naked or am I just lucky?"

"Both," Minako replied with a playful wink, "I actually prefer to sleep without clothes. I like being free to move around."

"Naked child," Rei teased as she playfully smacked Minako's behind.

"You like me this way, ecchi," Minako teased back as she yawned softly. She gently rolled off of Rei and climbed under the covers to lie on her side, her back towards Rei. Rei stayed on top of the covers and waited for Minako to settle in before shifting closer to envelop her in a spoon.

"Mmmm," Minako sighed contently. Rei watched Minako's aura dim slightly as all auras did when its owners were falling asleep.

"I like you a lot, Rei-chan," Minako said, though Rei could tell she was quickly slipping into slumber. "I really like you," she continued, her speech slurring slightly from drowsiness, "I don't want to lose you. Please, don't leave me."

Rei kissed her lightly on the shoulder, "I'm right here, Mina. I'm not going anywhere."

"Hmm?," Minako said sleepily. Her aura brightened slightly, "Did you say something, Rei-chan?"

Rei chuckled softly, "Good night, Mina."

"Mmn, good night, Rei-chan," Minako whispered before falling asleep, her aura dimming. Rei watched Minako for a bit silently.

"Mina?" Rei whispered after a while. When Minako's aura didn't change, she cuddled closer.

"Mina, I promised I'd be honest with you," Rei whispered softly, "The truth is, I don't know if I like you. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I don't."

She took a deep breath to steady herself, "If…If I'm being totally honest, Mina…I…I think I'm…I think I'm falling in love with you."

Minako continued to fall further into a deep peaceful sleep in Rei's embrace.

* * *

 **Author Note:** It's small, I know. But I hope it's to your liking. I'll try to update a little sooner!

 _Fun Fact:_

2nd Floor – Which planet is 2nd from the sun? ;)

Apt 212 – Shortened version of the word most associated with Venus.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 05/2015)


	19. Chapter 19

**Author Note:** The inevitable has happened. I've had to tweak some of the older chapters to fit the newer ones. =( Only _very_ slight changes in the timeline, nothing major. You might not even notice it unless you've read and re-read this as much as I have. But still, I was trying to avoid rewriting/changing older chapters at all. Hopefully it won't be a common occurrence or require any major overhauls as the story unfolds.

 _Pop-Quiz: 1 Question_

 _1_ \- What's the rating of this story?

I don't own Sailor Moon, Princess Mononoke, Girl Friends, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Miyazaki, H. (1997). _Princess Mononoke_. Tokyo, Japan: Toho Co. Ltd. Liberties were taken with a surname for the character

Gottwald, L., Kelly, C., and Martin, M. (2009). _My Life Would Suck Without You_ [Recorded by Kelly Clarkson]. On All I Ever Wanted [CD], New York, New York: RCA Records.

Diamond, S. and Frampton, A. (2009). _According To You_ [Recorded by Orianthi]. On Believe [CD], New York, New York: Geffen Records.

Levine, A., Levy, M., Martin, M., and SAMM (2012). _Daylight_ [Recorded by Maroon 5]. On Overexposed [CD], Los Angeles, California: A&M Octone Records.

Morinaga, M. (2006). _Girl Friends_. Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan: Futabasha Publishers Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 19:**

It was noon and Rei had already gone to the gym in her condo complex, showered, and was reading a newspaper while having a light lunch and tea outside of a small, quite café just down the street from her complex. She was wearing a light blue polo, dark jeans, and a white newsboy cap that was pulled low over her face that matched her white flats. Leaning back in her chair to sip her tea, she felt a small, sand-colored presence near her that emitted Awe and Nervousness. She smiled and closed her eyes to focus her energy briefly on the aura. When she opened them and turned towards the aura, she found a small boy, no older than six years old, with short, dark-brown hair, and dark eyes, standing a few feet away. He was wearing a white and black Kyudo-gi and holding a notebook and a pen close to his chest.

"U-Ummm …" The boy hesitated as he nervously looked at Rei.

Rei smiled warmly and put down her tea and newspaper on the table. She turned towards the boy and leaned towards him with her elbows on her knees, "Hello, Emishi Ashitaka, are you meaning to ask me for an autograph?"

The boy's eyes widened, "H-how did you know my name?"

"Just a guess," Rei shrugged casually with a smirk, "Are you headed to Kyudo class?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm on my way there," Ashitaka replied shyly.

"Well, we don't want you to be late now," Rei said. She motioned for him to come closer and to hand her the notebook. He stepped towards the raven-haired archer and placed the notebook and pen in her hand. Rei took the pen and placed it back in Ashitaka's hand,

"It's ok, I don't need this. You're going to help me instead," Rei said. She opened the notebook and flipped the first couple pages. Ashitaka looked at her with confusion as she pulled out a small ofuda sheet from her back pocket. Holding it between her index and middle fingers, she closed her eyes and whispered a few words over it. When she finished, she opened her eyes and held it in front of Ashitaka and smiled, "Snap your fingers."

Ashitaka looked nervously at the paper then to Rei. Rei nodded encouragingly and curiosity got the better of him. He brought his hand up and snapped his fingers softly.

Instantly, the ofuda sheet caught on fire in between Rei's fingers and Ashitaka jumped in surprise. With wonderment in his eyes, he watched as she carefully placed it in the notebook and shut it quickly, snuffing out the flame. Smiling, she handed it back to Ashitaka,

"There you go," Rei said warmly. Ashitaka nervously took the notebook and opened it hesitantly. White smoke escaped from between the pages. On the page the ofuda sheet was on, the edges were seared black but the rest of the pages were unscathed. In the middle of the page was a note in beautiful calligraphy,

* * *

 _"To Emishi Ashitaka,_

 _Stay focused and keep practicing. Thanks for your support._

 _\- Flame Sniper"_

* * *

"Wow…," Ashitaka said in awe as he stared at the page wide-eyed. He looked back up at the beautiful archer, "How-"

"It's a secret," Rei said with a wink as she brought her finger up to her lips signaling him to not tell anyone. She smiled warmly at him as she reached out and ruffled his hair, "Now don't be late for class."

"Mmn! Thank you, Hino-sama!" Ashitaka exclaimed with a wide smile. He turned and ran down the street, hugging his notebook, and giggling excitedly.

Rei smiled as she watched the boy leave. When he was out of sight, she returned to her newspaper.

 _ **Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...**_

Before she was able to continue reading, her phone rang and began vibrating on the table. She glanced at who it was, smiled, and flipped it open,

"Are the arrangements made?," Rei asked once she answered the phone. Though she got right down to business, her voice showed a hint of excitement, "Mmn, 6:00pm…Just the two of us. Well, and you, of course…4:30pm then?...Great. Did you also get…Perfect…Mmn, thank you. See you later today," Rei flipped the phone closed and placed it in her pocket. She finished her tea, folded up her newspaper, left enough money on the table for the meal and tip, and walked back to her condo.

* * *

 _ **\- 'Cause we belong together now, yeah.**_ _ **Forever united here somehow, yeah. You've got a piece of me and, honestly, my life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you -**_

The upbeat tunes of a popular pop song was streaming through the computer speakers as Minako struggled to focus on inventory and shipments for the store's supplies.

The workday seemed to drag on and on and never end. Not that she disliked her job, on the contrary, she loved her new position and her new office. She felt a little weird at first since she still thought of it as Karin's office, but her employees and friends supported and respected her leadership and she eased into claiming the space as her own. The transition from Karin's leadership to her own was smooth and went without a hitch.

Her eyes darted to the clock, willing it to be 2:00pm. She looked away and continue working, but when she looked back at the clock, expecting a few hours to have gone by, she would sadly find that only minutes, or even seconds, had passed since she last looked.

No, the only thing that could get Minako to want the day to end was the anticipation and excitement she felt about going out with a certain sexy archer after work.

* * *

 _ **\- Here I am staring at your perfection. In my arms, so beautiful. The sky is getting bright, the stars are burning out. Somebody slow it down. This is way too hard 'cause I know when the sun comes up I will leave. This is my last glance that will soon be memory. And when the daylight comes I'll have to go. But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close. 'Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own but tonight I need to hold you so close. -**_

 _Minako's eye slowly opened when she heard soft music coming from the foot of the bed. She turned over to look at her laptop in confusion. Forcing herself to sit up, she leaned over, pulled the computer to her lap, and hit the Enter button to wake her computer up. The music stopped and the screen illuminated with a bright glow. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and squinted at her screen, adjusting to the abrupt change in light. As her eyes adjusted, she realized that her Internet browser was set to an Internet alarm clock that played songs once the desired time had passed. Next to the browser was an open word document,_

* * *

"Dearest Mina,

I hope you enjoyed your alarm, I didn't want you to be late for work. You're so beautiful when you sleep, it was hard to leave you this morning.

I want to take you out for dinner tonight. Bring a change of clothes with you to work, something nice. Meet me at my place afterwards and we'll go from there together.

Until then, you'll be on my mind.

Yours,

Rei"

* * *

 _Minako pouted when she realized Rei had stayed with her all night and must have recently left._

I wish I wasn't such a heavy sleeper, I would have liked a good morning kiss at least!, _At the thought of Rei's lips, Minako blushed heavily,_ Ok, so maybe Rei-chan had a point when she left. I would have never gone to work if she stayed!

 _She smiled as she saved the document on her desktop. She typed into her web browser and music from her online radio station began streaming through the speakers._

 _ **\- But, according to him, I'm beautiful, incredible, he can't get me out of his head. According to him, I'm funny, irresistible, everything he ever wanted. -**_

 _Rei's message and the energetic guitar song that began streaming gave Minako the boost she needed to get out of bed and get the day started. She slid out from the covers and began her morning routine._

* * *

And here she was, counting down the seconds before she could call it a day, trying to get work done, but failing miserably.

It had been a week since a certain raven-haired beauty walked into her life at this very store. And, since then, both women had seen quite a bit of each other.

 _At least…Rei-chan has seen quite a bit of_ _me_ _!,_ Minako thought as she blushed. Due to Rei's fame, they decided to keep their relationship private and mostly hung out at each others' homes once Minako got off work. They would make dinner, perhaps watch a movie, but mostly they would enjoy each other's company. Occasionally, what with their close proximity and easy access to a bed, they also partook in more…physical activities…that ended with Minako exhausted, yet _thoroughly_ satisfied.

Throughout their time together, Minako respected Rei's tactile sensitivity. Though it was growing harder for her not to want to rip the archer's clothes off at any given moment, she had to admit she was enjoying having the attention all on her when it came to more… _intimate_ matters of their relationship.

Though Minako enjoyed just being with Rei, she was excited to go out and have a real date with her beautiful raven. The last time they were out and about together for a significant amount of time was at the beach in Kamakura.

 _ **Knock, Knock!**_

The sound of knocking on her office door broke Minako out of her reverie.

"Come in," she called as she quickly straightened in her chair and pretended to be hard at work on her computer. The door opened and a cute woman with amber eyes and layered, sun-kissed, light-brown hair that went past her shoulders came in. Appearing to be no older than 19 years old, she was half a head shorter than Minako and wearing a makeup artist uniform.

When Minako saw who it was, she smiled brightly, "Akko-chan, what's up?," she asked cheerfully to her mentee and new head artist.

Though Minako had great relations with all her coworkers, Oohashi Akiko, or Akko for short, was more than just a coworker. Akko was hired two years ago by Karin and started at Kirei in her last year of high school as a part-time job. Having seen a glimmer of natural talent in the young girl, Karin wisely placed Minako in charge of training the young woman. Both women hit it off almost immediately and Minako, seeing so much of herself in the young woman, took Akko under her wing not just as a trainee, but as her protégé.

When they met, Minako was going through cosmetology school, specializing in makeup, and encouraged Akko to do the same due to her talents, which the younger woman did once she graduated from high school. Under Minako's caring guidance, Akko had blossomed in the profession, nearly rivaling her mentor in talent and skill. And here she was, a year later, with the same cosmetology degree, certificates, and licensures that Minako obtained once she completed the program. When Minako was promoted to manager, there was no question at all who would take her place as head makeup artist. She couldn't be any prouder of her mentee.

"Sorry to bother you, Mina-chan," Akko replied cheerfully, "But there's a call for you on Line 3. She said her name was Bunny and that it was urgent?"

"Oh! Ok, thanks, I'll pick it up from here," Minako replied quickly as she turned to reach for her desk phone. Akko nodded and shut the door again to give her privacy.

"Usa-neechan, it's me," Minako began worriedly once she picked up the phone, "What's wrong? Is everything-,"

"TELL ME EVERYTHING!" Usagi yelled into the phone. Minako almost fell out of her chair in surprise and had to pull the phone away from her ear to save her eardrum.

"Mou, Usa-neechan!" Minako scolded into the phone as she stabilized herself in her seat, "You scared the shit out of me!"

"You never called me after the wedding!," Usagi squealed on the other line, ignoring Minako's chiding, "One minute I'm watching Haru-chan push Hino-san out the elevator and the next I get a note saying she would take you home! Then all I get are texts that you got home safe but nothing else! What happened? Start from the beginning! Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"U-Ummm…," Minako hesitated. She knew she was never able to lie to her sister. Avoid topics, yes, but not lie, "W-Well…after you all left in the elevator, I slept over in her hotel room and-"

"Hmmmmm?" Usagi teased, cutting Minako off, "Are you _sure_ you just _slept_ over? You _sure_ you didn't do _other_ things?"

Minako blushed beet-red. How could she tell her sister what she and Rei did that night? Or, rather, what _Rei_ did to _her_!

Usagi took Minako's silence as confirmation of her suspicions and continued, "So? How was it?," she asked knowingly with a hint of a smile, mercifully allowing Minako to avoid the intimate details.

Minako thought back to that night and dreamy look came over her, "Mind-blowing," Minako sighed, "Absolutely mind-blowing."

Usagi smiled on the other line, "So what happened after that?"

Minako was more than willing to share the more platonic details of the rest of her and Rei's time together. She talked about their trip to the beach, how sweet Rei was, and how they've hung out every day since. She also mentioned how Rei invited her to dinner that night and how nervous and excited she was about it. She did, however, decide to skip over Rei's panic attack as that seemed more of a private matter.

Usagi, being Minako's twin and close friend, knew her younger sister pretty well. But, when it came to her love-life, she was sometimes left perplexed. She watched Minako go from dating one person to another, male or female, always ending up dumping them after a month or so for one flimsy reason or another. She enjoyed listening to her sister's escapades and how Minako would talk excitedly about her new 'flings', as Usagi dubbed them, but never understood how Minako would shrug them off when things seemed to get serious. Though she would never tell Minako outright, she always hoped that she would eventually settle down from 'serial dating' and find someone special. Like what she had with Mamoru.

No, Usagi didn't want Minako to 'find' someone special. Minako already dated a few promising people in the past, like Karin, but she would always find some reason to end it. Rather, Usagi wanted Minako to 'allow' someone special to treasure her for the beautiful person she was.

And now, listening to Minako talk about the statuesque archer, she could tell by the way Minako would explain even the most minute details dreamily that this was more than just a 'fling'. Minako might not have known it yet, but Usagi could tell her sister was falling hard for the raven-haired beauty.

"So, I take it she's a keeper then?" Usagi teased cheerfully once Minako finished.

"Yeah…," Minako sighed dreamily. Once she realized what she said, she began quickly backpedaling, "I-I mean, I don't know. It's too early to tell. We're just dating right now, that's all."

"Mm-Hmmmmm," Usagi sang playfully.

"Mou, Usa-neechan, now you're just teasing me, meanie!" Minako huffed.

"Nyahahaha! Sorry, Mina-chan," Usagi laughed on the other line. Her tone changed to more sincere, "But really, I _am_ happy for you. She sounds really great! And from what Michi-chan told me, she thinks you two are good for each other."

"U-Uh, mmn," Minako replied quietly. She was caught off guard by Usagi's words and began to feel self-conscious. Usagi could tell Minako was starting to feel uncomfortable and decided to change the subject and not push the matter.

"So where are you two going tonight?" Usagi asked, changing the subject.

"Umm…I don't know," Minako said, "She didn't say. All she said was to wear something nice so I decided on the silver dress you got in Milan with the matching peep-toe slingbacks?"

"Ooooh!" Usagi sang, "I _loved_ that dress! You're going to look so good!"

"I just hope it's ok," Minako sighed worriedly.

"You'll be fine, that dress is perfect!," Usagi said cheerfully, "Anyway, I have to go. Mamoru and I have to review the photos they took in Australia with the agency. Tell me all about it at Karin-chan's tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok, love you. See you then," Minako said.

"Love you!," Usagi said before hanging up. Minako hung up the phone and looked at the clock, _1:58pm!_ She thought excitedly. She silently thanked the Gods and began saving her work on her computer. Once she was finished, she grabbed her things from her office, locked the door, and waved to her coworkers on the way out.

When she got to her car, she looked in the backseat at the gown-bag and shoes she brought with her.

 _I really hope this outfit is ok,_ Minako thought worriedly, _I wished Rei-chan gave more details about where we were going so I could have chosen the right outfit._

* * *

 **Author Note:** As of now, I don't believe Mari from _Girl Friends_ will be making a guest appearance in this story, but she's here in spirit since this would be after their high school days =)

 _Fun Fact:_

In the DIC and Cloverway adaptations of Sailor Moon, Usagi's nickname is "Bunny" and the word " **usagi** " in hiragana means "rabbit". Again, these refer to how she styles her hair and is a pun of sorts since her full name " **Tsukino Usagi** " means "Rabbit of the Moon".

In Princess Mononoke, Ashitaka doesn't have a surname. After doing some research, I settled on "Emishi" as a surname because there was a specific tribe of Emishi that used horse archery during warfare. Even though he actually rides an elk, I thought it was close enough. =P:::

Emishi. In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved May 29, 2015, from wiki/Emishi

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 05/2015)


	20. Chapter 20

**Author Note:** Another chapter for your reading pleasure.

Again, lemons _will_ be occurring throughout this story but they're being used to paint a very specific picture.

 _Chapter 19 Pop-Quiz Answer:_

 _1 -_ What's the rating of this story?  
 _ **Rated M**_ ** _(for some language and some lemon)_**

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Caillat, C. and Nowels, R. (2009). _Fallin' For You_ [Recorded by Colbie Caillat]. On Breakthrough [CD], New York, New York: Republic Records.

Christy, L., Edwards, G., Phair, L., and Spock, S. (2009). _Why Can't I?_ [Recorded by Liz Phair]. On Liz Phair [CD], Los Angeles, California: Capitol Records, LLC.

* * *

 **Chapter 20:**

Minako didn't even bother calling to let Rei know she was on her way, _She'd sense me before I did anyways,_ she chuckled to herself. As if on queue, Rei's door opened right as she approached.

"Hello, Mina," Rei said with a gentle smile as she opened the door wider to allow Minako to come in. Rei was still wearing the outfit she had on earlier that day, minus the hat.

"Hi, baby," Minako replied, as she entered and kissed Rei on the cheek. She set her slingbacks down and began taking off her own shoes as Rei closed the door, "So I wasn't sure what you meant by wearing 'something nice' for tonight. I hope what I brought isn't too-mm!"

Once Minako had straightened and was facing Rei again, the beautiful archer grabbed the black skinny-tie that was part of Minako's manager uniform and pulled her closer to capture her lips in a firm kiss, swallowing a soft moan that escaped from the gorgeous woman.

 _ **SShhhuck…Thunk**_

Minako's gown bag and purse fell to the ground as she quickly melted into the kiss. _She_ would have fallen to the floor herself if Rei hadn't wrapped her other arm around her waist to support her. Rei smiled softly into the kiss as she felt the earlier apprehension exuding from Minako's aura from being worried about her outfit melt away into a warm, comfortable state of bliss. When the kiss ended, Minako's eyes fluttered opened.

"I'm sure whatever you decided to wear for tonight will look amazing," Rei said softly.

Minako blushed at Rei's sincerity. She leaned into the taller woman in response and pulled her into a warm embrace, enjoying the feeling of being in her arms.

 _ **\- I don't know, but I think I may be fallin' for you. Dropping so quickly. Maybe I should keep this to myself. Waiting 'til I know you better. I am trying not to tell you, but I want to. I'm scared of what you'll say so I'm hiding what I'm feeling...–**_

The background music that Rei had streaming through her condo speaker system continued playing softly as they held each other contently. After a brief moment, Minako leaned back so she could look up at the beautiful archer, "You are too sweet," she said softly, a gentle smile pulling at the corner of her lips. She gently broke away from Rei's embrace as her cobalt gaze went to the floor, "And look what you made me do," she chided playfully.

Rei gave an innocent look of apology, as she bent down to pick up the gown bag and purse, "Sorry, I just couldn't help myself."

"Neither could I, apparently," Minako giggled. She collected the items from Rei once the archer stood up and handed them to her, "I'll hang my dress up in the bathroom while I shower so the steam will help unwrinkle it. What time are we leaving?"

"Well, we have to leave by 4:10pm to make it to our reservations," Rei said as she pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time, "It's 2:15pm now. Is that enough time for you?"

"Plenty," Minako said with a nod. She followed Rei to the master bathroom and hung the outfit on one of the towel pegs on the wall.

"Here, let me help you with that," Rei said as she reached for the gown-bag.

Before her fingers made contact with the zipper, they were intercepted by a soft and gentle hand, "There's that impatience again," Minako teased as she shook her head, "You'll see it once I get dressed and we're ready to go." She squeezed the taller woman's hand gently before bringing it up to her lips for a soft kiss, "Could you get me a towel instead?"

Rei smirked as she went to one of the built-in cabinets above the vanity area and pulled out a towel, "Do you need anything else, princess?," she asked teasingly as she handed the towel to Minako.

Minako took the towel from Rei and waved a dismissive hand towards her, "No, that'll be all. Thank you," she said in an exaggeratedly pompous manner.

Rei rolled her eyes, "Alright, alright. I'll be reading just outside if you need anything."

"Mmn, ok," Minako replied with a melodic giggle. Rei turned and went to the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Minako turned on the shower, removed her dress from the gown-bag, and began to undress.

 _ **\- I'd love for you to make me wonder where it's goin'. I'd love for you to pull me under. Something's growin' out of this that we can't control. Baby I am dyin'. Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you? Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you? It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it. So tell me, why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? –**_

Minako stepped into the shower and began using the shampoo. She inhaled deeply, _It smells like her,_ she sighed to herself. She rinsed the lather from her hair, used the conditioner on it, then grabbed the soap. As she rubbed the soap briskly over her smooth skin, she closed her eyes and inhaled the familiar scent of vanilla. Her movements slowed from scrubbing to gently gliding the soap over her skin. She couldn't help but start to fantasize about a certain beautiful, raven-haired archer's hands touching her skin or her tongue licking her body. As Minako continued to lather herself up with the soap, she imagined the raven-haired woman just beyond the door doing to her what her hands were doing to herself.

* * *

Rei was lying on her back in the middle of her bed, her legs bent so that her knees were up and her feet were flat on the bed. Though she had a new manga in her hands and was already half-way through, she couldn't help but be distracted by the sound of the shower running and imagined what Minako would looked like as the warm water cascaded down her lithe form. She began daydreaming what it would be like to slide her hands over the gorgeous blonde's slick skin.

When the shower suddenly turned off, it snapped her out of her daydream and she began blushing madly. She quickly refocused on reading her manga to avoid any suspicion as she heard shuffling in the bathroom and the door open.

 _She couldn't have gotten dressed_ _that __quickly,_ Rei thought to herself.

"Did you need something?," she called towards the bathroom without taking her eyes off her manga, still a little embarrassed by her impure thoughts.

She jumped slightly as the manga she was holding was ripped out of her hands and tossed to the ground with an audible 'thud'. Before Rei was able to recover from being startled, she found her book replaced by Minako's nude form. Her hair was damp and clung to her body, her skin slick and warm. She was on her hands and knees, straddling Rei, hovering over her.

"You," Minako replied huskily with a desperate edge. Rei's eyes widened and her heart started racing as she took in the sight before her. She almost thought she was still daydreaming if it wasn't for Minako's aura blazing violently, her hooded sapphire eyes staring intensely with primal need. Rei began shaking in anticipation, her pyro instincts raging in reaction to what was before her.

Minako grabbed Rei's left hand and placed Rei's index finger in her mouth. Rei gasped at the sensation and started panting as Minako closed her eyes and began sucking deeply, swirling her tongue over the archer's agile finger. She pulled Rei's index finger out of her mouth and captured her middle finger next, repeating her actions as her eyes opened slightly to stare hungrily at Rei, capturing the attention of those intense violet orbs that echoed her own desires.

Without breaking their gaze, Minako pulled Rei's middle finger out of her mouth and slid the raven-haired beauty's hand, palm up, in between her wet thighs,

"I need you to fuck me, Rei-chan," Minako panted desperately, "Right now."

Rei, breathing heavily, obeyed and slid her two fingers firmly and deeply into the smaller woman. Her stomach tightening with need at how ready Minako was to receive her.

"Aah!," Minako gasped once Rei was fully inside her. Her eyes shut tightly as her head lolled forward, her back arching from the sensation. Minako lowered her hips, pushing herself more onto Rei's fingers. Her hands bracing herself on either side of the beautiful woman beneath her.

Rei slid her fingers out half-way, drawing a needy whimper from Minako, as her other hand went to Minako's hip. As she firmly pushed her fingers into Minako again, her right hand forced Minako's hip down, allowing her to push deeper inside her.

"Ah!...Fuck…," Minako gasped as she bit her lip, "Gods, Rei-chan…please…don't stop."

Rei gladly continued pleasuring Minako, sliding her fingers out and pushing firmly and deeply into her, watching the gorgeous blonde on top of her pant heavily, moving in time with Rei's thrusts, hips moving to the same rhythm. Minako's breath was also in time with their movements, breathing in when Rei's fingers would retreat and moaning loudly when Rei would sink them deep inside her. Her rare lavender eyes took in every curve of creamy skin, memorized every line of Minako's toned body, as she watched the blonde goddess move above her. She licked her lips as she watching Minako's aura flare every time her fingers pushed firmly inside her, making Minako's body twitch and convulse under her touch, moans and gasps tumbling from her lips.

Minako opened her eyes slowly, taking in the beautiful, raven-haired woman. Rei's mouth was open slightly, panting, her hooded, violet eyes raking her being.

When Rei's eyes locked onto Minako's, she was taken aback by the intimacy of that moment and quickly became lost in those precious, piercing cobalts. She slowed her movements, becoming more intentional with each thrust, wanting to savor their connection and draw out bringing pleasure to the gorgeous blonde she adored, trying to convey the deep feelings she was harboring for her within.

* * *

When Minako's cerulean eyes met Rei's intense amethysts, she felt Rei's movements shift from assertive to something more subdued, more purposeful...more meaningful.

An uneasiness began to creep into her chest and she shut her eyes tightly, bringing her attention back to the physical sensations coming from between her legs.

Rei felt a very brief Hesitation and Nervousness in Minako's fiery aura before the smaller woman shut her azure eyes, breaking the spell. Questions began forming in Rei's mind, but never solidified as Minako leaned in to capture her bottom lip between her teeth roughly. Not enough to hurt, but just enough to get her attention. A startled moan flew from Rei's lips,

"Rei-chan…," Minako moaned after releasing Rei's lip, "Faster…mmm-harder," she pleaded desperately, needing release. A low growl echoed from the back of the archer's throat before her tongue darted into Minako's mouth aggressively.

Rei complied and began thrusting her fingers harder and faster into the gorgeous woman above her. She could sense the lust and desire intensify within the raging aura radiating from the woman above her. The hand she had on Minako's hip slid up her back and dug into the damp, golden mane at the back of Minako's head. She pulled Minako closer as she deepened the kiss. Minako returned the kiss just as aggressively, her tongue battling Rei's.

Minako couldn't help but break the kiss to breathe. Resting her forehead on Rei's, she couldn't stop the string of moans that escaped as Rei moved in and out of her. Her muscles began to clench.

"Don't stop…please…make me come, Rei-chan," Minako whispered, her hands tightening on the blankets underneath her fingers.

Rei ducked her head and leaned up to bite the crook of Minako's neck. The delicious pain was exactly what Minako needed to push her over the edge into ecstasy. She climaxed loudly in Rei's ear as her body shook uncontrollably.

* * *

Rei rode the waves of Minako's aura as it slammed into and through her. She closed her eyes, falling into the euphoric feelings that were tinted with Minako's desire. Rei could feel how desperately Minako wanted... _needed..._ to be taken. She began seeing Minako's fantasies from the shower, how the vanilla soap instigated her raging fire, and how the burning passion refused to be put out or appeased without Rei's touch.

An emotion rippled briefly within the aura and a pang of hurt stabbed her heart as it passed through her, disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared, too fast for her to comprehend.

Rei's eyes shot open and she gasped, her mouth releasing her hold on Minako's shoulder, as she felt the orange-gold aura retreat from her body back to Minako, _Wha…What was that?,_ she thought to herself, the pain in her heart echoing softly before dissolving with the aura back to its owner.

The feeling of Minako slumping over on top of her brought her back to the present moment. Minako was panting softly and twitched slightly. She convulsed briefly and let out a soft whimper as Rei pulled her fingers out of her.

Once Rei had cleaned her fingers in her mouth, she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman and gently rolled them both to their sides so they were lying next to each other. As Rei held the gorgeous blonde, combing her fingers through Minako's damp hair, she kissed her head comfortingly. She stared past her though, her brow furrowed with concern, lost in thought about the elusive fragment she stumbled upon while Minako came.

Minako's body gradually relaxed and her breathing return to normal. Her aura had also returned to its warm glow. She let out a sigh of content and snuggled closer to Rei, nuzzling her face into the taller woman's neck. She smiled softly as she inhaled the scent of vanilla, Rei's scent. Wrapping an arm loosely around Rei, she giggled softly, breaking Rei's concentration,

"Gods, I _really_ needed that," Minako whispered contently.

"Mmn, I could tell," Rei replied with a small chuckle, bringing her attention to the gorgeous blonde in her arms. Minako pulled away slightly to look at the beautiful archer with adoring azure eyes, "I've been thinking about you all day, Rei-chan. I couldn't wait to see you."

Rei smiled softly at Minako, losing herself in those sincere sapphires, and brought her hand up to caress her flushed cheek, "I missed you too, Mina."

Minako sighed happily again as she nuzzling her face back into Rei's chest, "I like that you always hold me afterwards," Minako said shyly, "That's my favorite part."

"Mmn, I like letting you know I'm here," Rei said softly, stroking her hair. She could feel a tenderness in her aura and how much the gorgeous blonde cared about her. She pulled away slightly and slid her hand from Minako's hair to cup her chin, lifting her head so their eyes met. They stared into each others eyes for a moment until Rei closed her eyes and leaned in to gently kiss her soft lips. Minako closed her eyes and returned the kiss just as softly.

Rei could feel Minako's orange-gold colors turning into a familiar soft flame. It was the same one she sensed the night she stayed over at Minako's place after returning from the beach. Since then, it presented itself only in the sweet moments they were together. Rather than trigger Rei's pyro instincts to control or dominate, this gentle, delicate flame always made Rei want to nurture it, protect it, allow it to grow and be whatever it wanted to be, let it consumer her if it wanted, _anything_ so long as it didn't go out.

* * *

When the kiss ended, their eyes opened at the same time, cobalt meeting lavender, "As much as I'd love to spend the rest of the day cuddling and making out with you, we should get ready," Minako said softly. She sighed dramatically as she sat up, "I should go rinse off again. It's all your fault, Pyro."

"What!?," Rei said as she shot up into a sitting position, " _I_ was minding _my_ own business, reading my manga, and _you_ jumped _me_!"

"Well, if _you_ weren't so irresistible then _I_ wouldn't have jumped you," Minako teased matter-of-factly, "Not to mention you're so _damn good_ at making me come."

"Mou, Minako!," Rei whined as she blushed heavily and threw herself back to the bed to bury her face in the pillows. Minako giggled as she leaned down and kissed the archer playfully on the head before scooting herself off the bed.

"You are just _too_ cute, Rei-chan," Minako said with a melodic giggle. Once she was off the bed, she walked over and picked up the manga she discarded earlier. Rei finally emerged from the pillows and pushed herself up from the bed so she was sitting on the edge of it.

Brushing the manga with her hand, Minako walked to where Rei sat, "Here," the makeup artist said, holding the book up, "You should get ready too."

"Mmn," Rei nodded obediently as she took the book. She looked at the clock by her nightstand, "We have a little more than an hour before we need to go."

"Ok, I'll be quick," Minako said as she bent down and kissed Rei on the forehead.

"You smell like me," Rei said with a smirk once Minako straightened, referring to the vanilla soap she used.

"Well, I _did_ use your shower stuff," Minako replied matter-of-factly.

"Which is what started this whole thing in the first place, from what I can tell," Rei retorted with a smirk.

"Mou, Rei-chan," Minako sighed with feigned exasperation, "You and your damn abilities. I can't hide _anything_ from you." She placed a finger beneath Rei's chin and tilted her head up so their eyes met.

"And I like it that way," she said sincerely with a warm smile before placing a chaste kiss on her the lips. She turned and walked to the bathroom and shut the door softly.

* * *

When the shower turned on again, Rei let out a sigh and threw herself backwards onto the bed.

 _I am_ _so __fucked,_ Rei thought to herself as she brought her arm up to cover her eyes, _I can't stop falling for her._

She sighed heavily again before sitting up. She pushed herself off the bed and headed towards her walk-in closet. She opened the door and grabbed a gown-bag that hung on the back and went to the guest bathroom to get ready.

* * *

"Wow…," was all Minako could whisper once she caught her breath. She was in awe of the image before her once she walked out of Rei's bedroom to the living room.

Rei was sitting at the couch with her legs crossed, wearing an elegant, sleeve-less, form-fitting, floor length, royal purple, satin evening dress that accentuated her porcelain skin. The top had a choker halter neck and in the center, just below Rei's breasts, was a brooch detail made of diamonds that shimmered and made it impossible for Minako not to stare and notice her perfect curves. Minako did make a mental note that Rei had done her makeup perfectly, as she had taught her during their very first encounter.

* * *

Rei's jaw dropped and she stared wide-eyed at Minako who wore a form-fitting, silver, taffeta, knee-length cocktail dress. The top had a sweetheart neckline and the lack of straps accentuated her creamy skin. Her hair was up in her signature style, but had a navy blue bow instead of the typical red bow that matched her navy blue clutch.

 _ **CLACK!…clack clack!**_

"Shit!," Rei cursed under her breath. She was in the middle of texting as Minako walked into the room and was so taken by the sight of the gorgeous blonde that her phone slipped out of her hand and clacked loudly against the bamboo floor. She jumped at the noise, startled out of her admiration for the smaller woman.

As she reached down to pick up her phone, she blushed as the sound of a melodic giggle came from the woman across the room.

"Mou, Rei-chan," Minako giggled, "For someone as beautiful as you, you sure have quite the mouth."

"You _like_ my mouth," Rei quipped with a smirk as she examined her phone for damages. She sensed a mischievous, orange-gold presence approaching and quickly reached out to decipher Minako's intentions. At just the right moment, she lifted her head just in time to meet Minako's lips with her own as the gorgeous blonde bent down to kiss the archer on the head.

"Cheater," Minako smirked after the kiss ended, "But you're right, I _do_ like your mouth."

Rei smiled as she stood up and Minako blushed as she was now able to take in Rei's image fully,

"Y-You look beautiful, Rei-chan," Minako said sheepishly. Rei stepped closer and brought her hand up to stroke Minako's cheek with the back of her fingers,

"Thank you. You look stunning," Rei said softly. She leaned in to kiss Minako's cheek softly before pulling away to look down at her phone for the time: 4:08pm. She quickly typed a few keys and the sound of a message being sent came from the device before she closed it. She turned and dropped it into her white clutch, which sat on the couch. Picking up a small white remote next to her purse, Rei pressed a button and the background music that filled the condo stopped.

"Shall we?," Rei asked as she placed the remote on the couch armrest. Her eyes sparked with excitement for the date she planned for them.

"Mmn," Minako nodded as she smiled.

Both women went to the door where Rei slipped into white stilettos and Minako put on her silver slingbacks. Minako opened the front door and stepped outside first to wait for Rei.

"Ittekimasu," Rei called into the condo before she closed and locked the door. When she turned around, Minako wrapped her arms around her waist,

"Itterasshai," Minako whispered before her soft lips pressed into Rei's. The simple action made Rei's eyes begin to sting from tears as she closed them and kissed Minako back. Rei brought her arms up to hold the smaller woman closer as Minako's aura morphed into that gentle, orange-gold flame she had so recently come to treasure so deeply.

When the kiss ended, Rei's intense amethyst eyes stared deeply into Minako's piercing sapphire eyes, "Let's go," she said warmly. Hand in hand, both women walked towards the elevator.

* * *

 **Author Note:** I'm enjoying being able to write and post as much as I have been this week. I hope it continues this way. Thank you so much for following along with me with this story!

 _Fun Fact:_ If you watch the original anime series, Rei uses her left-hand to draw her Flame Sniper arrow and also leads with her left-hand for Burning Mandala. Because of these details, some consider Rei to be left-handed. As you can tell, I also subscribe to this assumption. ^_^

Also, during the Silver Millennium, all of the Senshi were princesses of their home planet. Thought it would be cute to write a nod to that through Rei's pet-name for Minako ;)

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 05/2015)


	21. Chapter 21

**Author Note:** I'm not intentionally trying to build up this whole dinner date scene. The way the story broke up, it just made for better moderately-sized or smaller chapters rather than a few massive chapters.

 **Kaiseki** = [Japanese] A traditional multi-course Japanese dinner.

I don't own Sailor Moon, any brand names, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Caillat, C. and Reeves, J. (2008). _The Little Things_ [Recorded by Colbie Caillat]. On Coco [CD], New York, New York: Republic Records.

Cain, K., Lawrence, P., Levine, A., Mars, B., and Walton, K. (2010). _Just The Way You Are_ [Recorded by Bruno Mars]. On Doo-Wops & Hooligans [CD], New York, New York: Elektra Records.

Lexus is a division of, and belongs to, the Toyota Motor Corporation (cited September, 2013). Mercedes-Benz is a division of, and belongs to, the Daimler AG Corporation (cited June, 2015). The Spectrum brand belongs to Spectrum Aeronautical (cited June, 2015). The brands are used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

 **Chapter 21:**

 _ **\- The little things you do to me are taking me over. I wanna show you everything inside of me, like a nervous heart that is crazy beating. My feet are stuck here, against the pavement. I wanna break free… -**_

A lazy, folk-pop song played softly through the speakers of a certain red Lexus that had a custom vehicle registration plate with the letters 'FYRSOUL'. The two women inside the vehicle were content in holding hands, allowing the music to fill the space around them as they drove in comfortable silence, making their way smoothly down the expressway.

Every once in a while, Minako would steal a side-long glance at the stunning, raven-haired woman next to her. She felt butterflies in her stomach and blushed as she admired Rei's profile. The setting sun in the horizon casted a mix of soft red and orange rays off her flawless, alabaster skin, illuminating her image. How fitting that it almost appeared as if she were made of fire.

 _An angel of fire…_ , Minako mused to herself. She giggled quietly at the nonsensical thought.

"What?," Rei asked curiously as she kept her eyes on the road, sensing she had missed a joke of some kind.

"N-Nothing!," Minako replied nervously, startled out of her reverie. She could feel her face becoming warm from embarrassment and turned her head slightly so she was facing the window. She was glad for the sunset now, hoping it was enough to hide the blush in her cheeks.

Feeling Minako's embarrassment through their connected hands, Rei let the issue slide and brought her attention back to the road, allowing the silence to settle back in between them.

* * *

As Minako stared out the window at the passing scenery, she couldn't shake the sense of nervousness that gnawed at the back of her mind once she got into Rei's car. She adjusted in her seat hesitantly, subtly smoothing out her dress with her free hand.

They were just going to dinner. They've had dinner before. They've actually spent _a lot_ of time together this past week. But, given their situation, _going out_ to dinner was not necessarily an option. Yet here they were, going out on what most would consider a 'proper date'. She couldn't help but feel self-conscious as they traveled to their destination.

 _Gods, what the hell is wrong with me!?,_ Minako chided herself. She took subtle, deep breaths to try and calm her nerves, _C'mon, Minako, it's just a date! You've been on dates before! Nothing new, just another date._

She dared another glance at the beautiful archer and softened, sighing quietly, _Just another date with the most beautiful woman on the planet…and every time I look at her, my heart beats so fast it feels like it's going to jump out of my chest….with the gentlest, most loyal heart of anyone I know…_

A heavy uneasiness slowly began to settle in her chest, interrupting her thoughts. Minako blinked and shook her head subtly,

 _It's just a date,_ Minako repeated firmly in her mind with a subtle nod, _Relax, it's no big deal._

* * *

Minako was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice Rei's pensive expression as she drove. As they were still holding hands, Rei could sense Minako's internal struggle, her aura laced heavily with Apprehension. She resisted tapping into the smaller woman's aura, wanting to respect her privacy.

 _Just let her be,_ Rei thought to herself as she began exiting the expressway, _If she wanted to tell you, she would. Trust her._

As the orange-gold colors continued to seeping into her hand, she couldn't help but notice something within. A tint of something that was being _heavily_ subdued. It was faint, only an essence really, barely untraceable if she hadn't been paying attention. If Rei had to take a guess at what the gorgeous blonde was emitting…it almost seemed akin to…Fear? Rei couldn't help but being to worry as she took a left down a seemingly typical road.

This trace of emotion she was picking up on triggered her memory of something she felt not long ago. It was while Minako was com-

"Hey, baby?" Minako asked with confusion in her voice, interrupting Rei's train of thought, "Where are we?"

Rei had pulled up to what seemed to be the entrance of a very tall, industrial, black wrought iron fence that seemed to span for blocks. Dark-green privacy slats weaved between the bars, masking whatever the fence was protecting, while barbed wire was strung at the top of the entire length for security. Signs appeared periodically along the fence, alternating between 'Private Property' and 'Security Camera' disclaimers.

"We're on our way to dinner," Rei replied innocently, her lavender eyes full of mischief.

Minako raised an eyebrow suspiciously as the raven-haired woman slowed the car and rolled down the window as she approached a small proximity card reader mounted on an iron post. The archer stopped at the reader and reach up to her sun visor to pull out a simple, white card from one of the pockets. She waved the card in front of the reader.

 _ **CHA-CHUNK!...DRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…GUNG!**_

Minako jumped slightly at the sound of the heavy gate sliding open slowly. Rei returned the card to its rightful spot before pulling her car through. Once she had cleared the gate, it began slowly and loudly sliding back closed behind them.

Minako's eyes widened once she took in what was inside. They were sitting at the start of what looked like a long, tarmac runway complete with airport traffic lines leading away from them into the distance until it seemed to disappear. To the left, parallel to the tarmac, was a long row of large, steel, white hangars with lines painted at the based of each door leading to the tarmac.

To their immediate right was a fairly substantial automotive repair shop next to a small but sizeable air-traffic control tower. To their immediate left was a moderately-sized parking lot with a lone, black Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard parked right in the middle of the lot.

Rei turned the car left towards the unassuming Mercedes. As she approached, a tall, burly man in a sharp, black suit exited the car.

"Rei-chaaaan," Minako said in a suspicious tone, "What are we doing?"

"Going to dinner," Rei replied innocently with a sly grin as she parked her car near the Mercedes.

"Mataku, Rei-chan," Minako huffed in feigned exasperation as she rolled her eyes, "You're so stubborn."

"Another one of my best traits," Rei quip as she turned off the car. When she turned to look at Minako, she found her looking towards the window with an exaggerated pout.

Rei couldn't help but smile at the Minako's antics. She squeezed her hand softly, getting Minako to direct her attention back to her.

"Do you trust me, princess?," Rei asked softly. Minako couldn't hold the façade any longer at those words and a small smile came to her alluring lips as she looked adoringly at Rei,

"Mmn," she nodded softly with a slight blush.

Rei smiled at this response and released Minako's hand to unbuckle her seatbelt. Collecting her purse, she opened the door and stepped out of the car. Minako was about to do the same but was caught off-guard by the handsome man opening the door for her. She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, grabbed her clutch, and stepped out of the car.

The handsome, burly man had short, black hair that was in a military cut. His kind, dark-brown eyes almost looked black and he had a long, faint scar that crossed diagonally down his left cheek from the top of his ear to his chin.

"This is Kobayashi Nobuo, my bodyguard," Rei said to Minako as she walked to Nobuo's side. She rested her hand on his back endearingly, "He's been with me since I started college." She turned to Nobuo and smiled,

"Nobuo-san, this is Aino Minako," Rei said as she nodded to Minako. Minako noted Rei's use of Nobuo's first name and the respectful honorific, deducing that they were close to some extent. Mostly she was taken aback by how familiar and friendly Rei was…towards a _man_!

Nobuo smiled kindly and bowed respectfully towards Minako, "You both look very lovely tonight," he said in his low and soothing voice as he straightened.

"T-Thank you, Kobayashi-san," Minako replied and bowed in return. When she straightened, Nobuo lifted his arm to check his watch,

"We should head out, Rei-sama," Nobuo said, "It's already 4:25pm."

"Mmn," Rei nodded. Nobuo shut the door of the car and began walking towards the first hangar. Rei locked the car and intertwining her fingers with Minako's,

"Ready for an adventure?," Rei asked eagerly.

"For not knowing what's going on and taking a leap of faith? Yeah, I guess so," Minako replied snarkily with a smirk. Rei let out a playful laugh as they followed Nobuo towards the hangar.

* * *

"You have…your own jet," Minako said flatly in disbelief as she stared up at the white Spectrum S-40 Freedom jet plane with the letters 'FIRE SOUL BIRD' printed in moderately large, white font on its flame-red tail. Her bright, sapphire eyes were wide with shock. Minako turned and stared at Rei, flabbergasted.

Rei shrugged shyly, "Well, _technically_ it belongs to the company. I use it to get to different competitions around the country. If it's an international competition, I usually take one of the bigger planes."

Minako's blinked silently for a moment, "'One of the bigger planes'…You have more than one plane."

Rei blushed sheepishly, "T-This whole place belongs to the company. It the fleet management facility and garage where all the transportation is kept," she explained, "Not all the hangars have planes. Some have cars, boats, helicopters, pretty much any type of transportation the company needs for business, but this hangar is assigned to me."

"Of course," Minako stated flatly with feigned nonchalance. She was already beyond shocked by the jet, everything else became almost incomprehensible.

Rei watched the waves of Astonishment in Minako's orange-gold aura and couldn't help but giggle at the gorgeous blonde's expense. Though she could spend hours listening to Minako's melodic voice, she had to admit that shocking the smaller woman into speechlessness _was_ entertaining. She leaned in and kissed Minako quickly on the forehead,

"C'mon," she said, her eyes twinkled with excitement, "We can keep talking on the way to dinner. Nobuo-san's waiting for us."

Minako gasped as the realization came to her, "We're… _flying_ to dinner!?"

"Mmn," Rei nodded cheerfully, "C'mon, we're going to be late."

"Whoa, whoa, not so fast, Pyro," Minako stated as she tugged Rei's hand to get her attention and prevent her from walking away. She had come back to her senses, her suspicious cobalt eyes locked onto Rei's playful lavenders, "I know you just want to abduct me to go to this 'dinner' of yours," she said half-teasingly, half seriously, "But I'm not moving until you _at least_ tell me where we're going."

Rei smirked, knowing that the jig was up. She brought Minako's hand up to her lips and kiss it softly,

"I just wanted to do something special for you to celebrate your first week in your new job," Rei said, "And I happened to have a craving for Kaiseki. So we're going to one of my favorite restaurants. It's the best in the country."

Rei watched as Minako's face took on a puzzled look. As Minako's eyes widened, she could tell from her aura that she had figured it out,

"Holy shit," Minako whispered, "We're flying…to _Kyoto_ …for _dinner_?"

"Surprise," Rei said quietly with a soft smile.

Minako was dumbstruck. She wasn't prepared for this. Sure, she'd been on dates before, nice ones even, but nothing as extravagant as _this_. This wasn't a date, this was a dream. No one had _ever_ done _anything_ like this for her before.

Rei giggled at Minako's stunned expression, "You're so adorable, Mina. I should surprise you more often."

Taking advantage of Minako's dazed state, she smiled happily as she led the gorgeous blonde towards the jet.

* * *

 _ **\- Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they're not shining. Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her trying. She's so beautiful and I tell her everyday. Yeah, I know, I know when I compliment her, she won't believe me. It's so, it's so sad to think that she don't see what I see.' -**_

"This is _so_ unreal," Minako whispered, the music that softly filled the cabin not reaching her ears. Once the jet left the ground and into the sky, she began to snap out of her astonishment as it finaly sank in that this in fact _wasn't_ a dream. She was sitting on a long, white, leather couch along one side of the plane. She sat with her legs folded up beside her as she looking out the window to watch the last breaths of sunset fade into the night sky.

Rei was sitting cross-legged, turned towards Minako, with her elbow resting on the backrest. She had her hand up in a fist and was resting her cheek on it. Instead of the sunset, her intense amethyst eyes were trained on Minako. The deep purples and blues of dusk accentuated her creamy skin, making her appear as if she were a flawless Greek sculpture.

 _A beautiful goddess…_ , Rei mused as she reverently watching the gorgeous blonde next to her.

Minako continued to look out the window, her azure eyes filled with wonderment. She sat up slightly and pointed out the window, "Look, the first star of the night."

Rei tilted towards the window and glanced out to see a lone, bright star nestled within the darker part of the sky above the fading sunlight. She smiled knowingly, "That's your sobriquet."

Minako turned to look at Rei with questions in her eyes.

"The first and brightest light in the night sky, also known as the Evening Star," Rei mused, almost to herself, "Some people call it the Wishing Star since it's the first light after sunset." She turned to look at Minako adoringly, "More commonly, it's known as the planet Venus. The Greeks called her Aphrodite. That's your 'star'."

Minako realized then that Rei was referring to her nickname from work. She blushed shyly as the beautiful raven returned her gaze to the window.

"And you see that tiny one right next to it?," Rei asked as she pointed towards the horizon.

Minako brought her gaze back to the window to find what Rei was referring to. Sure enough, almost right above Venus was a smaller, bright star. Thought not as bright as Venus, it held its own in comparison to the other stars that slowly began dotting the night sky,

"That's Mars, the Red Planet," Rei explained.

"How do you know all this?," Minako asked curiously.

"I was able to sneak in some Religion classes in college for elective credits and I took a Greek Mythology course," Rei replied. "Grandpa taught me a little about astrology while I was growing up. It was one of the many things he used to do his fortune-telling. I was never able to master it, but I always loved hearing about it."

They sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the view, "It's not often that those planets are this close to each other. That's pretty cool," Rei said, as if thinking aloud, "In Greek mythology, Mars and Venus were actually-," she stopped herself and blushed.

"…Were what?," Minako asked as she turned to look at Rei.

"T-They were lovers," Rei explained, looking down shyly. Minako smirked softly as she turned to look at the celestial bodies, "I guess that would be _your_ 'star' then," she said with a melodic giggle, voicing the implication in Rei's statement. She continued to look out the window at the night sky until a soft hand came to rest on her own and intertwine their fingers. She turned to find Rei still looking out the window.

"It's amazing how you can do that," Minako said as she looked down at their intertwined hands and up to Rei's face.

"Do what?," Rei asked as she turned to look at Minako.

"You always find my hand every time without looking," Minako explained, "What's it like?"

Rei smiled softly, "Your aura's really warm. Even though I might not be able to see it with my eyes, I can still sense it and I know it'll always lead me to you."

Minako blushed as she looked away. She heard Rei scoot closer and felt delicate fingers lightly touch her jawline, coaxing her to turn her head back. When she was met with Rei's intense violet eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

"You're my Evening Star," Rei said softly, "I'll always be able to find you, even in the darkest of nights." Minako's cheeks tinted red and her heart was pounding in her chest. Her azure eyes became lost in Rei's violet orbs.

A heavy uneasiness began settling in her chest. She suddenly felt self-conscious and turned away. Rei, feeling the change in Minako's aura, became worried.

"What's wrong, Mina?" Rei asked with concern.

"This…," Minako whispered, "I mean, it's wonderful…and perfect… _you're_ perfect and…and it's all _too_ much, Rei-chan."

Rei's heart broke as she watched Minako's ever-confident orange-gold aura shaking with…Insecurity? Trepidation?. She quickly slid closer to Minako and pulled the smaller woman into a warm embrace. She ran her fingers through her silky blonde hair,

"Mina," she said softly, "I can never give back to you what you've given me this past week. This, all of this, is because I want to show you how much you mean to me. I just want to make you happy."

Minako couldn't stop the tears that began to form in her eyes, "Rei-chan," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around Rei and nuzzled her face into the crook of her neck, allowing herself to be comforted by the taller woman.

 _ **Ding!**_

The music over the intercom was cut short and replaced by a soothing, low voice, "We've begun our descent, Rei-sama. Please prepare for arrival."

Both women reluctantly pulled away from each other and looked into each other's eyes. Rei brought her hands up to Minako's face.

"You ok?," Rei asked, her voice soft and laced with concern.

Minako sighed, pulling herself together, "Mmn," she replied as she nodded a couple times. She pulled away slightly and out of Rei's touch. She took a deep breath and let it out quickly and put on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "C'mon, we should get to our seats and buckle up," she said, changing the subject as she began to stand up.

"M-Mmn," Rei replied quietly. She stood up, following Minako's lead, and both women crossed to the other side of the plane to sit in two white, leather, individual seats that were separated by a wooden table that came out of the wall. They buckled up and prepared for landing.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Sorry for the cliffhanger =( All will be revealed in due time.

 _Fun Fact:_ Kyoto is famous for its Kaiseki. One day I hope to go there and have it for real (fingers crossed!)

Kaiseki. (n.d.). In _Wikipedia_. Retrieved June 3, 2015, from wiki/Kaiseki

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	22. Chapter 22

**Author Note:** I just realized that the site removed some of the formatting I had in ALL my chapters -_-;;;. The OCD in me can't leave them that way, so I'm trying to go through and re-enter them. In the meantime, here's another chapter for you!

 **Himitsu** = [Japanese] Secret

 **Tokushu Sakusen Gun** = [Japanese] The Japanese Special Forces Group

 **Tanto** = [Japanese] Traditional Japanese dagger used by samurai

I don't own Sailor Moon, Princess Mononoke, any brand names,, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

The restaurant 'Himitsu' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 22:**

"You bought out the place for tonight, didn't you," Minako stated more than questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Nobuo had expertly landed the plane and chauffered them in a black limo to their destination, which was located on the top floor of a tastefully opulent hotel. A velvet rope blocking the entrance of the restaurant with a sign that had the words 'Closed for Private Party' in bold type. Next to the entrace was the word 'Himitsu', which Minako deduced was the name of the establishment.

Rei blushed sheepishly, "You can blame Nobuo-san for that," she said quietly. She turned to Minako apologetically, "'Mother on steroids', remember?"

Minako couldn't help but giggle in understanding. She wrapped an arm around the embarrassed archer's waist comfortingly and leaned in to kiss her softly on the cheek, "Good, that means I get you all to myself," she whispered.

Nobuo went to the entrance, unclipped one end of the velvet rope, and knocked on the door. He stepped aside as the door opened and a young woman in a canary-yellow, long-sleeved blouse and dark-teel, knee-length pencil skirt appeared. Her red hair was short and wavy and was held together in a half-ponytail at the back with a dark-teel ribbon.

"Good evening, Hino-sama. Welcome back," the woman greeted cheerfully as she bowed respectfully towards Rei.

"Good evening, Osaka-san," Rei replied in a reserved, formal manner as she bowed politely towards the woman.

"I see you've brought a friend with you this time," She said as she straightened and turned slightly to address Minako, "And any friend of Hino-sama is a friend of ours. Good evening, welcome to Himitsu," she said as she bowed respectfully, "My name is Osaka Naru and I'll be your maître d' for tonight."

"Good evening, Osaka-san," Minako replied as she bowed in return.

Naru straightened and opened the door wider, "Please, come in," she said as she gestured for them to enter.

* * *

Naru led the two women to a table at the far-end of the restaurant, the only one in the establishment that had place settings, glassware, and a small, lit tealight candle. Here, Rei and Minako had a beautiful, panoramic view of the Kyoto night cityscape through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The lighting in the restaurant was soft and romantic, which matched the elegant piano-music that played quietly through the speakers overhead.

Once they got to the table, a young man in a navy-blue suit and white dress-shirt jogged over and eagerly pulled the chairs out for both of them. As he slid them back to the table, Naru placed the prix fixe menu in the middle of the table,

"This is Umino Gurio, he'll be your waiter for tonight," she said, gesturing to the young man. He had short chestnut-brown hair that was spiked messily and most of his features were hidden by his thick spectacles.

"I-It's a pleasure to s-serve you tonight!," Gurio said nervously as he bowed a little _too_ enthusiastically after the introduction. Though his eyes were mostly hidden by the glare from his glasses, it was obvious his gaze was darting between the two women.

Minako smiled and nodded politely at the waiter. She briefly caught a glimpse of Rei across the table from her. Her beautiful face was stoic, her features guarded in a distant sort of way. Others who might not have known Rei as well as Minako did wouldn't have noticed the slight twitch in her lavender eyes and how they narrowed at the young waiter ever so slightly. Rei quickly nodded to the young waiter and looked away.

"I-I'll be back w-with some green tea!," Gurio blurted out before he quickly left the table.

"Please enjoy yourselves," Naru said cheerfully, "I'll be back to check up on you two later-"

"Osaka-san," Rei interrupted assertively as she continued to look out the window, "We won't be needing Umino-san's services. Please dismiss him for the night and have one of the kitchen staff serve instead."

Minako looked to Rei in surprise, taken aback by her sudden request. Sure, the Flame Sniper was known throughout Japan as being aloof, but the beautiful raven-haired woman was bordering on _pompous_. Something was definitely up and Minako began to worry about the archer.

"…O-Oh!," Naru replied, recovering from her surprise, "O-Of course…Of course, Hino-sama. I'll take care of that immediately. Excuse me," she bowed low before quickly following after the young waiter.

* * *

"Baby?," Minako asked with concern once they were left to themselves, "What was… _that_ all about?"

Rei closed her eyes tightly as she took a deep breath and released it quickly, "He's a fan," she stated in a low voice, dripping with annoyance.

"Mou, Rei-chan, is that all?," Minako asked with a hint of relief and disbelief, "So he's a fan. That's no reason to-"

"No, he's a _really big_ fan," Rei replied as she leaned forward to rest her right arm on the table, bracing herself. She brought her left hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose, "They're the worst….their auras are so… _loud_. It's like they're _screaming_ at me." She shook her head slightly as if trying to rid herself of the memory.

Minako's heart broke seeing the woman she cared so much for in such a tense state. She reached out and gently rested her hand on Rei's forearm, rubbing her thumb in small circles, trying to comfort the beautiful archer as best she could.

At Minako's touch, Rei felt her familiar, warm, orange-gold colors seep into her being protectively. She relaxed and brought her hand to rest on top of Minako's, instantly feeling her nerves settle from being shaken so abruptly by the young waiter's accosting aura.

"Thank you, Mina," Rei said as she opened her intense violet eyes, allowing herself to be taken by the image of a gorgeous blonde sitting across from her.

Minako smiled warmly as she squeezed the beautiful woman's forearm endearingly, satisfied with knowing she was able to help in a small way.

"Here we are," Naru announced a little before approaching the table to let the women know she was on her way. Both women reluctantly parted to allow Naru to come and set their beverages on the table. Following Naru were two kitchen staff members carrying their meal. They set them on the table, bowed politely, and returned to the kitchen.

"Let me know if you need anything else," Naru said cheerfully before leaving to allow the women to enjoy their meal in peace.

* * *

As they ate, Minako talked about work and how it was mostly a blur since she was so distracted by her excitement to see the beautiful archer again. Rei mentioned her encounter with her small fan at the café.

"You're such a softie when it comes to kids," Minako teased. She set her empty plate to the side and rested her elbows on the table, bringing her hands up to rest her head in her palms, "It's really cute."

Rei blushed, "There's just something about them, how they're fascinated by _everything_."

"Mmn. They're amazing, aren't they?," Minako said. A thought crossed her mind, "Have you ever thought about having kids?"

"Mmn," Rei replied with a nod, "I've always wanted kids but I don't know if I ever will."

"Why not?," Minako asked curiously.

"You mean other than the obvious fact that I'm into girls and there's no way for two women to have kids?," Rei replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, there _are_ ways, you know," Minako replied matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I know," Rei conceded, "I mean, I wouldn't mind adopting, but I've always wanted to have kids of my own. I think it'd be nice if they had abilities like me so I could teach them how to use it like Grandpa did for me."

She wrinkled her nose and flicked her hair back with her hand, "But the thought of me getting pregnant with some guy's sperm like insemination is just… _repulsive_!" She leaning back in her chair and crossed her arms in a huff, "I just _really_ don't like men."

Minako giggled at Rei's actions, "Mou, Rei-chan, so stubborn," she chided playfully.

"Well, how about you?," Rei asked as she blushed, trying to get the attention off of herself, "Have you thought about having kids?"

"Mmn," Minako nodded a few times with a smile, "I've always wanted kids. The thought of being pregnant is amazing to me. Our bodies are biological wonders! I mean, we can create and sustain life!"

A flash of sadness came to her eyes as she sighed and her face fell, "I just don't want it to be like what happened to my mom where my dad left and Usa-neechan and I were on our own most of the time because she was working to support us. If I have kids, I'd want to be there for them and not have them come home to an empty house."

Rei could see the topic was making Minako's aura shift from its playful glow to a shade that reflected Loneliness and Sadness. There was something else in there too: a trace of that same elusive emotion that had been presenting itself throughout the day.

As Rei was about to ask Minako about it, she felt company quickly approaching from behind,

"Was everything to your liking?," Naru asked as she came to the table.

"Mmn, it was," Minako replied politely with a welcoming smile, glad for the interruption. The uneasiness that had begun to creep into her chest faded as the tension from the previous conversation lifted.

"I'm glad to hear it," Naru replied warmly. She turned to address Rei, "Shall I clear the table and bring some after-dinner aperitifs?"

"M-Mmn," Rei replied with a nod, disappointed by the interruption. As she watched Naru and her staff cleared the table and set after-dinner cocktails on the table that were paired specifically for their meal, she saw the fleeting emotion disappear from Minako's aura, subdued by strong waves of Relief. She decided to table her question for another time when they were in a more private space and couldn't be interrupted.

* * *

"So, baby," Minako began before taking a sip of her drink, "Tell me about Kobayashi-san. You two seem close. I thought you said you didn't like men."

"Are you jealous, Aino-san?," Rei asked teasingly with a smirk as she raised an eyebrow.

"Should I be, Hino-san?," Minako quipped playfully.

Rei glanced over to the handsome man who was seated at the very opposite end of the large restaurant near the entrance. He appeared to be deep in thought as his fingers worked swiftly on the keyboard of a small tablet computer. The soft light from the screen illuminated his furrowed brow. She smiled softly, "Nobuo-san's different."

"Oh, really?," Minako replied with overexaggerated appall.

Rei rolled her eyes and chuckled at Minako's teasing as she brought her attention back to the smaller woman, "Grandpa and his father were in the military together," she explained, ignoring Minako's ribbing, "They were really close so Nobuo-san's always been really loyal to Grandpa. The day I was born, Grandpa was reading some tealeaves and had a premonition that I would be in danger right before I turned nineteen. He predicted Nobuo-san would be the one to save me."

Rei looked towards her bodyguard, "He was already in the military following in his father's footsteps at the time. When Grandpa told him about his prediction, he took it really seriously and trained hard to become one of the top weapons, transport, self-defense, and tactics specialists."

"Wow, that's impressive," Minako said with amazement, taking in Rei's story.

"Mmn," Rei nodded as she returned her attention to the table and sipped her drink, "He was even part of the Tokushu Sakusen Gun for a bit."

"Whoa, Special Forces!?," Minako gasped with astonishment, "That's so cool!"

"Yeah, he's pretty cool," Rei smiled proudly. A chuckle bubbled up as she reflected on their time together, "I actually _hated_ him when I first met him."

"Really? Why?," Minako asked curiously.

"I never knew about him growing up and Grandpa never really mentioned him or the premonition," Rei replied, her face turning pensive, "The year I turned eighteen was the same year Nobuo-san requested and was granted a military discharge so he could come home and prepare for me turning nineteen per Grandpa's prophecy. It's also the year I signed the contract with my father. Papa hired him on the spot when he applied to be my personal bodyguard due to his experience and training."

Rei looked down to the drink in her hand, swirling the glass aimlessly, "I just remember being so livid about having to sign the contract in the first place that when I found out my father hired a _male_ bodyguard to babysitting me…"

Rei shook her head to clear her thoughts and returned her gaze to Minako, her violet eyes tinted with a touch of sadness and guilt, "Let's just say I took a lot of my anger out on him that first year. But he was always so patient with me."

Rei's brow furrowed and her lips pressed into a thin line as her amethyst eyes became distant as she thought, "Then at my first collegiate competition, a little before my nineteenth birthday, I was finishing my set and was walking back to my seat when a delusional fan broke through the stands and tried to attack me with a tanto. The rest of the security for the competition was busy keeping reporters back so they didn't notice him heading towards me."

She looked towards her bodyguard with concern, "Nobuo-san came out of nowhere and took him down pretty quickly but was stabbed pretty badly a couple times. Luckily the wounds weren't life-threatening. He also got a pretty nasty cut on his face from the guy."

"That explains the scar I saw earlier," Minako said mostly to herself.

"Mmn," Rei replied with a nod, "I felt terrible for how I treated him that whole time. Even worse when Grandpa finally told me all about Nobuo-san's connection to our family while we were at the hospital."

A curious look crossed Minako's face, "Wait…you didn't know about that beforehand? Why didn't they tell you?"

Rei chuckled as a smile pulled at the corner of her lips, "Grandpa knows me too well. If he told me beforehand, I would have probably tolerated Nobuo-san out of respect for Grandpa but I probably would have never _really_ come to trust him. Having that type of relationship with someone who's supposed to protect you can be dangerous in itself. Too many variables, too many opportunities for mistakes. I needed to come to trust him on my own."

She turned back to look at Minako and smiled, "And Grandpa was right. Ever since then, Nobuo-san's been with me and protected me for the past four years. I trust him with my life and we have a really good understanding of each other."

"Wow," Minako said in awe. She turned to look fondly at the burly man who was sipping tea as he contined to work on his tablet, _I'll have to remember to thank him for saving Rei-chan's life._

"So…I _should_ be jealous of him," Minako challenged teasingly with a smirk, her playful cobalts taking a side-long glance at the beautiful raven-haired woman across from her.

"Oh yeah, most definitely," Rei replied with dry sarcasm, causing both of them to laugh.

* * *

As their laughter died down, Rei glanced at her phone and saw that it was already 7:30pm, "Well, shall we head back?," she asked.

"Mmn," Minako nodded. Both women stood up and pushed their chairs in. As Rei began walking to the front of the restaurant, she was pulled back by a strong tug on her hand that made her spin around.

"Aah-mmm!," Her yelp of surprise was swallowed by soft lips meeting her own. Once Rei's mind caught up to what had happened, Minako ended the kiss and rested her forehead on Rei's,

"Thank you…for everything," Minako whispered shyly. Rei smiled,

"No, thank you, Mina," Rei whispered. She closed her eyes and leaned in to kiss Minako on the lips. Minako wrapped her arms around Rei's neck, bringing the taller woman closer as her tongue gently teased the archer's lips. Rei wrapped her arms around Minako's waist and parted her lips to allow Minako's tongue its requested access.

Rei felt Minako's aura revert to that wonderful soft flame she adored as their kiss deepened. Their tongues explored each other gently, savoring the feeling. Both women became so lost in each other, there was nothing else in the world but the two of them. Neither wanted the moment to end.

A loud cough brought them back to the real world and they abruptly ended the kiss to turn towards the sound.

"We should be going, Rei-sama," Nobuo said evenly, allowing a hint of teasing to enter his tone as he tried really hard to keep a straight face.

Minako blushed and tried to hide her face behind Rei. Rei's annoyed, dagger-like gaze stayed on Nobuo, watching his white aura swaying with mirth.

"Yes, Nobuo-san," Rei said coldly. She turned back to Minako and smiled softly, "We'll continue this later, ok?"

"M-Mmn," Minako replied softly as she continued to blush. They parted and Rei led Minko with her right hand to the entrance where Nobuo was waiting. Rei glared at Nobuo as they approached. Nobuo allowed himself to smirk at his young charge.

In the blink of an eye, Rei pulled her left arm back and threw a strong punch at him. Without flinching, Nobuo easily caught her fist with the palm of his hand. They stayed like that for a moment before a genuine smile spread across Nobuo's face. He winked at Rei who, in turn, smirked and nodded as she lowered her hand.

"Rei-sama," Nobuo said as he nodded his head and turned to lead the way back to the limo.

Minako watched the interaction with a puzzled look. Rei could sense Minako's confusion and turned to look at her with a wide smile, "Like I said, we have an understanding," Rei explained simply, "Come on."

* * *

 **Author Note:** And we're heading back to Tokyo in Chapter 23!

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	23. Chapter 23

**Author Note:** This chapter was originally really long but I decided to cut it into two smaller chapters so it's easier to digest. Lots of things are about to happen.

I don't own Sailor Moon, any brand names, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Lavigne, A., Martin, Max, and Shellback (2011). _Wish You Were Here_ [Recorded by Avril Lavigne]. On Goodbye Lullaby [CD], Stockholm, Sweden: Maratone Studios.

Lexus is a division of, and belongs to, the Toyota Motor Corporation (cited September, 2013). Mercedes-Benz is a division of, and belongs to, the Daimler AG Corporation (cited June, 2015). The brands are used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

The company 'Mineralogy' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 23:**

They landed safely back in Tokyo and, once Nobuo had secured the jet in its rightful hangar, Rei and Minako began walking hand-in-hand towards the parking lot with Nobuo close behind.

"Rei-sama," Nobuo said, getting the archer's attention as she unlocked her red Lexus with her key fob, "About the errand you asked me to run earlier today?"

Rei's eyes lit up, "Yes, I almost forgot. And?," she replied in a hopeful tone.

Nobuo tilted his head towards the black Mercedes as he used his key fob to unlock it. An eager smile graced Rei's lips. She turned to Minako and gently squeezed her hand, "I'll be right back," she said as she quickly kissed her on the cheek and went to the Mercedes.

Minako watched in confusion as Rei opened the back-passenger door of the car and leaned in.

"Rei-sama asked me to pick something up for her earlier today," Nobuo explained, startling Minako out of her curiosity as he caught up to her from behind.

"O-Oh, I see," Minako replied quickly, recovering from the small fright she received from Nobuo's soothing voice interrupting her thoughts. They stood in silence for a moment as they waited for Rei to return.

"Kobayashi-san," Minako said, breaking the silence as she turned to look up at the bodyguard, "Rei-chan told me about your scar and how you saved her life while she was in college." She stepped back a little and bowed respectfully towards him, "Thank you for protecting her and continuing to do so."

Nobuo smiled as he bowed in return, "Just doing my job, Aino-san," he replied humbly, "It's my duty to protect her."

"But it's more than that," Minako said as they both straightened, "You really care about her and it shows." She turned to look at the raven-haired beauty, "She thinks the world of you, you know. It makes me happy to know she has someone she can trust watching over her. She needs that…people she can trust."

Nobuo smiled kindly at Minako. He could hear the sincerity in her voice as she spoke, see the endearing care in her eyes as she gazed fondly at the beautiful archer. He could already tell from the two women's interactions how Rei felt about the gorgeous blonde, it was pretty obvious. But he felt a weight lift slightly from his shoulders now that he could see that Minako appeared to feel just as strongly for his young charge.

"Yes, Rei-sama is someone very important to me," he said as he glanced over towards the young raven, "I would gladly take a bullet for her if it came to it."

He half smiled as he watched Rei, "And, from the looks of it, she would probably do the same for you," he said with slight mirth in his soothing tone. Minako blushed at the comment and averted her gaze to the floor

"Aino-san," Nobuo said quietly after a moment, his soothing voice taking a more serious tone. Minako looked up towards the bodyguard again, "You're right about Rei-sama needing people she can trust."

Minako watched as Nobuo cast his dark-brown eyes towards the ground, "I've sworn to protect her for as long as she needs me. Trained for many years to that end, but…," he paused for a bit before letting out a long sigh, "But, unfortunately, this arena is very much out of my jurisdiction."

He turned towards the gorgeous blonde, "I can tell you mean a great deal to her, too. Probably more than she's letting on. Because of that, I'm putting a lot of faith in you. Don't make me regret it."

Minako was taken aback by Nobuo's words. His chocolate-colored eyes reflected concern, worry, and maybe even a hint of…helplessness?

"It's perfect, Nobuo-san. Thank you," Rei said sincerely as she shut the door of the Mercedes and approached the two, drawing both of them from their conversation. She was holding a small, unassuming, silver giftbag in her hand.

"I'm glad it's to your liking, Rei-sama," Nobuo nodded towards his young charge. Rei noticed Nobuo's white aura wavering with…Concern? She immediately went to him and brought a hand up to rest on his arm,

"Mataku, Nobuo-san," Rei sighed teasingly, "You're going to get gray hairs if you keep worrying like you do." She squeezed his arm gently, "I know it's late, but we'll be fine. We're heading back to my place so I'll text you when we get home so you know we're safe, ok?," she said reassuringly, trying to soothe his distress.

"Yes, please do, Rei-sama," Nobuo smirked and nodded in response to the young raven's teasing.

Rei nodded in approval once she felt his aura relax back to his usual state of confidence. She squeezed his arm gently again before releasing him to walk around her car to the driver-side. Nobuo went to the passenger door and opened it for Minako,

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Aino-san," he said warmly towards the gorgeous blonde, "Have a good night."

"M-Mmn. You too, Kobayashi-san. Thank you," Minako replied quietly with a hint of apprehension in her voice. She was still mulling over their brief conversation, not sure of what to make of it.

Nobuo closed the door once Minako was safely inside and watched as the red Lexus pulled out of the gate and sped down the street.

* * *

 _ **\- I can be tough. I can be strong. But, with you, it's not like that at all. There's a girl that gives a shit behind this wall. You just walked through it. -**_

The music stopped once Rei parked and turned off her car. It was a little before 9:00pm when she texted Nobuo to let him know they got to her condo safely.

"Tadaima," Rei called into the condo once she opened the door.

"Okaeri," Minako called right after as she shut and locked the door behind her. They smiled at each other at their new routine as they took off their shoes. When Minako placed her shoes near the door, she noticed Rei walk over to her breakfast bar and set down the silver giftbag she got from Nobuo earlier in the night.

"So what's that?," Minako asked curiously as she walked over towards the archer and dropped her purse on the counter.

"Your next surprise," Rei said playfully as she reached into the bag, "I was afraid it wouldn't be done in time."

"Mou, Rei-chan!," Minako said, feigning exasperation, "You've done enough for me already tonight! You didn't need to…"

Minako's sentence trailed off as Rei pulled out a black, velvet, square necklace box with the word 'Mineralogy' in elegant, gold script embossed on the it. Her azure eyes widened and she gasped.

Minako had heard of 'Mineralogy' before, who hadn't? The Irish-owned company was only the most exclusive, high-end, luxury jewelry relator in the world! She never thought she would get to see one of their infamous 'black boxes' in real life! She stared at the box in surprise and looked up at Rei,

"Congratulations on your new job," Rei said warmly with a radiant smile, "Open it."

Minako blinked at Rei, who nodded encouragingly. Her piercing cobalt eyes went back to the velvet case before her. She carefully picked up the case and slowly flipped the cover open. Inside was a 24K yellow-gold, chain necklace with a heart locket. The locket had a row of alternating sapphires and diamonds curving diagonally from the lower-left of the heart to upper-right near the top. Minako's jaw dropped and her hand went up to her mouth in shock.

"I thought a gold chain would suit you better than silver," Rei explained, "I had them add the sapphires and diamonds. They reminded me of your eyes."

Minako didn't move or speak. Rei could tell by her aura she was still in shock, "Mina?" she asked with concern.

"It's…It's beautiful," Minako managed to whisper. She looked back up to the devastatingly beautiful archer and began shaking her head, "Rei-chan, no. I…I can't-"

"Please," Rei said softly, the simple statement silencing Minako's protests. "It would mean a lot to me."

Minako's eyes began to sting with tears as she looked back down at the necklace. She gently touched the locket as a gentle smile came to her lips, "Can you help me put it on?" she asked softly.

"Mmn," Rei replied with a nod. Minako placed the box on the table and turned around. She twisted her hair up to expose her neck as Rei carefully pulled the necklace out of the box and moved closer to standing behind Minako. Rei circled the necklace around Minako's creamy neck and fastened it at the back. She stepped back to allow Minako to turn around. The gorgeous blonde released her hair and reached into her purse and pulled out a compact mirror to examine the necklace.

"What do you think?," Rei asked curiously. Minako closed her compact and looked adoringly at Rei.

"I love it," Minako said warmly as she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck. Ever since she arrived at Rei's condo after work today, the night felt like a string of wonderful surprises, _This_ _has_ _to be a dream. Things like this don't happen to people like me. People like_ _her_ _don't happen to people like me. This can't be real._

She was brought back to reality when she felt a soft hand caress her cheek. She looked up and was met with the most beautiful pair of amethyst eyes she had ever seen that belonged to the most beautiful woman she ever met.

"What are you thinking, Mina?," Rei asked with concern, feeling Minako's aura begin to waver with Disbelief.

"If this is a dream…if _you_ are a dream…I don't ever want to wake up," Minako whispered. Rei smiled as she felt Minako's aura begin to morph into that warm, soft flame. She held the gorgeous blonde closer, wanting to curl herself up in it and stay in it forever.

After a moment, Minako gently stepped out of the embrace, "It's getting late, baby. I should-"

"Stay with me tonight," Rei interrupted softly with an entreating tone, finishing Minako's sentence for her. She blushed as she looked at the floor shyly, "I mean…you're not working tomorrow and I worry about you driving home this late, so-"

She paused as she heard a melodic giggle come from the gorgeous blonde. She looked up as Minako moved closer to whispered in her ear, "That's perfect because I wasn't planning on leaving tonight."

Rei looked to Minako, who was blushed slightly. Once Minako's words sank in, Rei couldn't hide the gleam in her eyes, happy that she wouldn't have to be apart from the gorgeous blonde.

Minako stepped back and turned around, her hands going to her hair, "What I was going to say was I should probably get ready for bed." She gathered her golden mane and pulled it over her right shoulder towards her front so that her back was revealed to the archer. She turned to look at Rei over her left shoulder seductively, "Could you help me with my dress?"

Rei smirked as she approached the gorgeous blonde. She gently pulled the zipper of Minako's dress down until it stopped right below her hips, revealing the smooth, creamy skin of Minako's back. Rei felt herself being drawn to the expanse of exposed skin and brought her hands to rest on Minako's hips. She leaned in and gently placed a kiss at the base of her neck softly, right below the gold chain of her necklace.

Minako closed her eyes at the contact, "Mmmmm," she moaned quietly. Though she didn't have Rei's abilities, she could almost feel Rei's adoration tingle down her spine through the kiss, "That felt-ah!"

Minako's sentence was interrupted when she let out a delicate gasp as Rei gently nipped her left shoulder, close to her neck. Rei smiled slyly as she felt Minako shiver under her touch, her aura flaring slightly.

Minako took deep breaths to steady herself. She bit her lip as she felt soft puffs of Rei's warm breath tickle her neck, "What am I going to do with you?," she breathed as she shook her head slightly.

"Isn't that _my_ line?," Rei whispered suggestively.

Minako let out a soft, amused chuckle. She took slow, sultry steps forward, gently breaking out of Rei's hold. She smoothly tossed her hair behind her so it cascaded down her back, effectively covering most of her body save her long, toned legs. As she continued towards the bedroom, she allowed her dress to slip slowly off of her and fall to the ground. Rei licked her lips and smirked as she watched the gorgeous blonde seductress walk away.

When Minako got to the open doorway of the bedroom, she lifted her left hand to rest it lightly on the doorframe and turned to look at Rei over her shoulder with hooded sapphire eyes, "You need a lesson in patience, Rei-chan," she said in a provocative tone.

Rei shook her head slowly, "You are _such_ a tease, Mina."

"That remains to be seen," Minako replied coyly with a small shrug, "I haven't said 'no', have I?" She giggled as she turned and continued into the bedroom, "C'mon, Pyro," she said playfully over her shoulder, "The sooner you get ready for bed, the sooner I can be naked in it with you."

She smiled triumphantly to herself as she heard Rei follow quickly behind her.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Things are about to get really serious in Chapter 24.

 _Fun Fact:_ Had to sneak in another chain reference for Minako's senshi weapon, couldn't help it. Again with the details!

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	24. Chapter 24

**Author Note:** Up until now, we've learned quite a bit about Rei…but what about Minako?

This chapter was really hard for me to write. I hope it conveys well.

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

* * *

 **Chapter 24:**

Once both women had finished their nightly routine, they crawled into bed together. Rei wore a set of pajamas that consisted of a white, long-sleeved, satin, button-up shirt and matching satin pants. Minako, on the other hand, wore nothing per usual.

Minako immediately climbed on top of Rei, who was lying on her back. The gorgeous blonde balanced the length of herself on top of the beautiful archer, her arms resting closely to either side of the archer's torso, her head on Rei's chest, enjoying listening to the sound of her steady heartbeat.

Rei encircled the smaller woman in her arms, her hand combing Minako's silky tresses aimlessly. She hummed contently at the familiar feeling of the smaller woman on top of her.

"You comfortable?," Minako asked with concern, taking the noise Rei made as one of discomfort.

"Mmn," Rei nodded as she let out a satisified sigh, "I really like when we cuddle like this."

"Why?," Minako giggled curiously.

"I can feel your entire aura this way," Rei mused, "It's always so warm and comforting. And the weight of you on top of me makes me feel grounded. I always feel really safe and secure with you like this, like I'm being surrounded by you."

Minako blushed at Rei's forward honesty. It always took her by surprise how comfortable Rei was with expressing her feelings, _How can she just say things like that so easily?_

Minako was about to settle into a comfortable silence, content with snuggling against the devastatingly beautiful woman underneath her, when a bold idea came to her and she looked up at the archer, "Hey…baby?," Minako said hesitantly, "Can I…Can I try something?"

Rei looked down at Minako curiously, "Try what?"

Minako carefully broke out of Rei's embrace to scoot higher so that she was face-to-face with the archer. Once there, she carefully settled herself down again, resting the length of Rei's body. She placed her right hand softly on Rei's chest.

"Do you trust me?," Minako whispered. Rei hesitated, her eyes darting to Minako's aura, but all she could decipher was a gentle kindness. Her intense eyes locked back onto Minako's, still unsure of what Minako wanted to do. She swallowed nervously and nodded slowly.

"Good," Minako said with a timid smile, "Close your eyes and focus on me?" she said as more of a request than a statement.

Rei raised an eyebrow and looked at Minako skeptically, who nodded back reassuringly. Rei took a breath and closed her eyes hesitantly as she began focusing her energy on Minako's aura. She could feel Minako's familiar, comforting, orange-gold warmth. One that always made her feel as though she were being bathed in rays of sunlight. Mixed within that were strong strands of Hope and a hint of something else…Nervousness?…but one that was being strongly muted in the colors. As she continued to focus on Minako's aura, she began to slowly hear Minako's voice as she tapped into Minako's thoughts,

* * *

 _Gods, I hope this works,_ Minako's thought to herself. She took a breath to steady her nerves for what she was about to do next.

* * *

Rei felt Minako shift above her slightly. Suddenly, her amethyst eyes shot open wide and she stiffened when she felt Minako's hand begin to slowly unbutton her shirt. She felt her abilities begin to retreat from her focus.

"M-Mina! What-mmm!," Rei began with a hint of panic in her voice. Her words were cut short by Minako swiftly leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. Minako closed her eyes and her hand stopped its movement.

The sudden contact caused Rei's abilities to refocus on Minako's aura again. She was quickly carried back into it, her lavender eyes glazing over as she stared blankly past the blonde above her. She felt Minako's orange-gold colors fill her being, surrounding her with Protectiveness, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth. She couldn't help but begin to relax within the invitingly warm solace.

 _Come back to me, baby,_ Rei heard Minako's voice softly in her mind, _Please…trust me. I'm not going to hurt you._ Her melodic voice was soothing, comforting. Rei felt the stiffness in her body begin to melt away as Minako's aura strengthened, flowing into her through their kiss. She felt her eyelids close as she allowed herself to be taken in by it. She began kissing Minako back tentatively.

* * *

Minako felt Rei slowly relax and begin to kiss her back. She continued to kiss the archer softly, as if comforting the taller woman, letting her know that she was safe. As she felt Rei become more confident in their kiss, Minako slowly continued to unbutton Rei's shirt until she finshed with the last button. With utmost care, she slowly slid her hand underneath the fabric of Rei's shirt to her toned stomach, making sure her touch was firm enough not to tickle for fear of breaking Rei's concentration.

Rei inhaled sharply through her nose as she paused. Minako could feel her flinch and stiffen slightly.

 _Stay with me, Rei-chan,_ Minako pleaded softly, stilling her hand. She gently licked Rei's bottom lip with her tongue, caressing it. A delicate gasp, soft and wavering, escaped from Rei's lips in response. Minako's heart skipped a beat at the sound and she dipped her tongue teasingly between Rei's slightly parted lips, silently requesting access.

* * *

Rei felt Minako's colors begin to change into that tender flame she treasured so much. Unable to deny that fragile glow, she parted her lips and allowed Minako's tongue to enter her mouth. She felt herself calm as she began losing herself in the kiss. Her hand moved on its own accord to the back of Minako's head, burying itself in her silky hair, pulling her closer.

* * *

Minako felt Rei begin to relax again as their kiss deepened. She slowly caressed Rei's tongue with her own. She felt Rei's hand slide to the back of her head to pull her closer.

"Mmmm," Minako moaned softly into Rei's mouth as she leaned in closer without breaking the kiss. She slowly began moving her hand up Rei's stomach, sliding along her ribs.

Minako already knew Rei was breathtakingly beautiful, had been admiring her perfect form since they first met. But to finally be able to touch her, to feel how incredibly soft her skin was above the toned muscle just beneath the surface, the delicate movements as she reacted to being touched, how warm she felt under her fingertips…Minako cherished every second of their contact, committing it to memory, enjoying the feeling of finally being so close to the woman she adored, if only for these few, precious moments.

As they continued to kiss, Minako's breath hitched as she felt Rei's other hand begin to stroke the length of her back. The action was gentle, tender…

And made her more aware than she cared to feel. She tensed hesitantly before captured Rei's bottom lip between her teeth, becoming a touch more aggressive in their kiss.

* * *

Rei's breath hitched as she felt Minako's soft flame begin to transform into something more ominous. Her hand at the back of Minako's head began to tighten its grasp on the blonde's hair, responding to Minako's aggressiveness. The hand that she had on Minako's back curled slightly as she slowly dragged her nails across that creamy skin, causing Minako to gasp and arch her back at the action.

Minako, emboldened by Rei's assertiveness, slid her hand higher to Rei's breast, her fingers grazing the nipple.

* * *

"Ahh!," Rei whimpered as if in pain, abruptly breaking their kiss. Her body stiffened and curled inwards as if trying to protect itself. Her eyes were shut tight as she began shaking, her breath becoming erratic and hissed as it came and went from between her clenched teeth. The orange-gold aura she was holding on to slipped from her focus and she began feeling herself descend into darkness.

* * *

Minako, so engrossed in the spark that was beginning to develop between them, realized too late that she had crossed a line. Her eyes shot open at the sound of Rei's pained cry. Acting quickly, she removed her hand from Rei's chest and tilted the archer's head up to pull her back into a kiss.

Rei began feeling her abilities slip until a strong, orange-gold force pierce through the darkness, warming her from the inside, quickly wrapping itself around her body. In the confusion, she could just barely make out the sound of a melodic voice echoing in the distance, pleading softly over and over, _I need you. Don't leave me. Stay with me. I don't want to lose you._

The orange-gold colors kept Rei from slipping further into darkness. The echoing, distant words gave Rei the strength to focus and concentrate. As she followed them back to herself, her muscles began to relax slowly, her breath returning to a normal pace.

* * *

Once Minako felt Rei relax, she gently ended the kiss and opened her eyes. She searched Rei's face with a mix of worry and concern.

Rei's eyes fluttered opened and looked around for a second to orient herself, taking in her surroundings as if reminding herself where she was. She then looked at Minako and her intense amethyst eyes softened to apologietic concern.

"Rei-chan," Minako whispered, her voice heavy with anguish. She watched as Rei brought a hand to her cheek and felt her thumb gently wipe the tears from her face, ones she didn't realize she had shed.

"I'm ok," Rei said softly as she wiped Minako's tears away.

"I'm so sorry," Minako whispered guiltily, "I shouldn't have done that, I...I didn't mean to-" Her words were stopped by a gentle finger resting on her lips.

"Shhh," Rei cooed as she smiled softly, "I said I'm ok."

Without breaking their gaze, Rei moved her hand from Minako's lips and carefully found Minako's hand. Sapphire eyes widened in shock as Rei brought Minako's hand to rest underneath the fabric of her shirt and over her heart, holding it there.

Rei closed her eyes at the contact and took a few meditative breaths, concentration washing over her countenance. Minako stayed as still as possible, feeling the rise and fall of Rei's chest with each breath she took, allowing Rei to do whatever she needed to do.

After a few moments, Rei took a deep, cleansing breath and opened her eyes as she let it out slowly, "That was really intense, Mina," she whispered hoarsly. She locked her lavender gaze onto Minako's cobalts, holding them as if to ground herself. She swallowed audibly, "It still is, but…," she paused and chuckled quietly to herself, "I guess I'm still alive, right?"

"Are you sure you're ok, Rei-chan?," Minako asked worriedly.

"Mmn," Rei nodded slowly, "It's definitely an adjustment."

Minako sighed in relief at Rei's response. Rei began to feel Minako's aura relax into a much calmer state as it seeping into her chest through Minako's hand.

Minako rested her head gently back down on Rei's chest, making sure to stay on top of the satin shirt so as not to push her luck, "I'm so glad you're ok," she whispered, "I would have never forgiven myself if anything happened to you."

"I'm fine, Mina," Rei replied softly. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring at the ceiling to keep herself steady. As she reflected on the incident, she chuckled softly to herself, "My Evening Star," she mused to herself.

"Hmm?," Minako asked, lifting her head to look at Rei, "What'd you say?"

"Nothing," Rei replied softly, "You just never cease to amaze me, Mina."

"What do you mean?," Minako asked quizzically.

"When I slipped, you aura brought me back again," Rei said as she looked into Minako's eyes. A soft smile graced her lips, "It was like a light that shot through the darkness and I followed it back to me...to you."

A light blush tinted Minako's cheeks at Rei's words, "And you thoughts…Kami-sama…they were so sad. All I wanted to do was find you and tell you that I was here...that I'm not going anywhere."

Minako's blinked at Rei, now utterly perplexed, "Rei-chan…I wasn't thinking anything while you were having your panic attack. I was just really worried about you."

The smile slowly disappeared from Rei's lips as she searched Minako's face. She could sense it through Minako's hand, she _really_ had no idea what Rei was talking about. A foreboding suspicion came to her,

"Mina…do you remember the first time I stayed at your place after we came back from the beach?," Rei asked.

"Of course," Minako replied, confused as to where Rei was going with her question.

"Do you…remember talking to me?," Rei asked hesitantly, "Right before you fell asleep?"

Minako gave a puzzled look as she thought back to that night. She shook her head slightly, "No, I just remember you spooning me and then falling asleep."

Rei's brow furrowed, "Then that's the second time," she said mostly to herself.

"What?," Minako asked.

"You asked me not to leave you," Rei explained, "The first time was that night I stayed at your place. You were talking in your sleep and you said, 'don't leave me'. I thought you were saying you didn't want me to leave that night. But just now, during my panic attack, you kept repeating, 'don't leave me. I need you. I don't want to lose you.'"

Minako looked at Rei with complete shock. She was floored by what Rei was telling her.

"Come to think of it," Rei continued as a memory came to her, "When I did my stunt at the wedding, you said you 'just found me'…that you thought you were going to lose me. It almost sounds like-"

"Rei-chan, I don't know where you're going with this," Minako interrupted with a sigh. She was starting to feel uncomfortable as Rei continued with her train of thought, "I honestly have no idea what you're-"

"I'm not trying to upset you, Mina" Rei interrupted gently. She could feel Minako's aura tinting with frustration, "I'm just trying to understand. I mean, didn't we agreed we'd be honest with each other? With ourselves? That this wouldn't work otherwise?"

"And I _am_ being honest with you," Minako said with annoyance this time, "I just don't understand why you're making such a big deal over-."

"Mina, do you trust me?," Rei asked.

"Yes," Minako replied quickly.

 _Perhaps a little_ _too_ _quickly,_ Rei thought to herself skeptically.

"I _do_ trust you," Minako continued, irritation beginning to seep into her melodic voice, "Do you think I would've let you tie me up and blindfold me like you did if I didn't?" A seductive smile pulled at the corner of her lips as a thought came to her, "Unless you're trying to tell me that you want to do that again?"

Rei could feel Minako's aura begin to flicker into an ominous flame as she moved in for a kiss, "Mina, I'm serious," Rei said with slight annoyance as she placed her fingertips gently on Minako's lips, effectively stopping her, "I want to talk to you about this. Why are you avoiding the subject?"

"What's there to talk about?," Minako asked in an exasperated tone as she pulled away slightly and shook off Rei's touch. Her aura returned to its original glow, but was coursing with Annoyance, "So I say stupid shit in my sleep or whatever. It doesn't mean anything."

"I think it does," Rei replied. It was her turn to be irritated, her brow furrowing into disbelief at how flippant Minako had become, "I think you're afraid that I'm going to leave you. It might even be subconscious since you don't remember it at all. I don't know. I just want to understand, that's all."

Minako shook her head and looked away in frustration. She took heavy breaths, as if trying to calm herself down from…Anger? Annoyance? These were the stronger emotions Rei could decipher from her orange-gold colors. She could sense that Minako was trying to process all that Rei was telling her, see that she was struggling internally.

* * *

After a moment, the gorgeous blonde sighed defeatedly, averting her gaze downward, "What do you want from me, Rei-chan?," she whispered, her melodic voice sounding almost broken, "What do you want me to say?"

Rei felt Minako beginning to retreat emotionally, her aura starting to dim considerably. Her heart broke seeing the gorgeous blonde woman she cared so much for in such a state. Though she feared pushing the subject would cause her to shut down completely, she felt it was important to get to the bottom of this.

Perhaps being straight-forward was not the best way to have this conversation with Minako, seeing as how quickly she became combative. She had to start somewhere and a question came to her that seemed to be an easy place to begin…or at least a more _definitive_ place to begin if the answer she hoped for didn't come.

Rei softened before continuing, trying a different approach and concentrating on what was left of the smaller woman's aura, "Mina…do I make you happy?," she asked gently, trying her best to mute the entreating tone that wanted to appear in her words, "Are you happy…being with me?"

"…Yes," Minako whispered. Though her response was soft, Rei saw her aura glow stronger as if giving conviction to the simple word. Rei let out a subtle sigh of relief, dispelling the small amount of doubt that tried to take hold of her confidence in what they had.

"I…really like you, Rei-chan," Minako continued, as if musing to herself. Thought she said the words with the intent to comfort the beautiful archer, it almost seemed as though she were saying them to herself, "I've…I've never felt this strongly for…anyone before. And sometimes it…"

Minako paused, allowing her sentence to trail off into silence. She hung her head lower, causing her bangs to shield her face.

Rei was finally getting somewhere with Minako but could see her warm aura shivering around her. Minako was scared. Rei could feel her warring inside herself.

* * *

The beautiful archer found herself at a crossroads. If she pushed too much, Minako would most likely retreat, possibly even run, where Rei would never be able to reach her again. She decided to proceed cautiously, hoping to get some answers from Minako, to understand exactly what the gorgeous blonde wanted, didn't want, and what made her so afraid.

"Does it scare you? Your feelings?," Rei asked softly.

"No…maybe…I don't know," Minako replied quietly. She could feel a heavy uneasiness beginning to settle in her chest.

Rei sensed it, that elusive feeling she had been searching for all day. It was faint, too much so for her to read properly. But she could feel it as it passed between them through Minako's hand and into her chest, felt the weight of it in the deepest corners of her heart.

"Are you afraid that I might leave you?," Rei asked gently, encouraged by the fact that Minako seemed to be opening up, if only slightly.

Minako's brow furrowed. She blinked a few times as she processed Rei's question. After a moment she sighed dejectedly, "Rei-chan, being with you…has been…unbelievable. But I…We…I mean, we're still…trying each other out." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, "I've dated a lot of people, baby. I know how complicated things can get and…sometimes…things just happen. Who knows what'll happen with us?"

Though Minako didn't answer the question directly, Rei knew what the answer was, could hear it in the spaces between her words. She could see in her aura that Minako was trying to keep the conversation cerebral, steering away from her emotions.

 _Self-preservation,_ Rei though to herself in dismay, _Kami-sama, what happened to make her this way?_

"So what do you want, Mina?," Rei asked quietly.

"You," Minako surprised herself when the word automatically slipped from her lips. She paused to think, to try and make sense of the confusing thoughts and uneasiness inside of her. She continued to speak her mental process out loud, "I want…I want to be with you. So much so that the thought of…the thought of not having you in my life…it tears me up inside. I don't…I don't know what I did before you. I don't know…who I was…before you. There's…nothing I want more…than to have you be with me and to-"

"Be my girlfriend, Mina," Rei blurted out before she realized what she was doing. The gorgeous blonde had practically confessed she felt the same way Rei did. She was so caught up by Minako's words that seemed to echo her own deep feelings that she couldn't help herself and, for the smallest of nano-seconds, had forgotten the delicate dance she was currently engrossed in with Minako.

Minako's head snapped up abruptly to look at Rei. Her mouth fell open as she stared, almost in horror, with scared, sapphire eyed at the archer.

* * *

On the outside, Rei kept a cool composure, breathing deep and slow, so as not to frighten Minako any more than she already was.

But on the inside, she was panicking as well. Rei could see the unmistakeable look of panic in Minako's expression. What scared her the most was how Minako's aura, that beautiful, dynamic, warm, orange-gold color that always playfully swayed around her lithe form…completed extinguished from the shock.

 _Shit, shit, shit!,_ Rei cursed to herself, _Please, Mina, don't run! Kami-sama, please don't make her run!_

The damage had been done and she prayed to Kami-sama that Minako couldn't feel her heart racing in her chest.

"What?," Minako whispered in disbelief and alarm. She quickly pulled her hand away from Rei's chest in shock, as if burned by the contact, and retreated from the archer entirely.

 _Kami-sama…please, give me strength,_ Rei prayed to herself. Having nothing to read off of Minako than the look of terror on her face, she quickly ran through potential scenarios in her head.

Should she take it back? No, it would probably make things worse. Minako might think it was a cruel joke at her expense in her current vulnerable state. She'd definitely be angry at Rei if it came off as a flippant remark and would shut her out for sure. The same could happen if Minako thought Rei was saying it out of pity instead of really meaning it.

But Rei _did_ mean it. She couldn't lie to Minako like that, she _promised_ her she wouldn't lie to her. She especially couldn't lie to herself about how she felt for the blonde woman who had bewitched her so completely since entering her life a week ago today. If, by some miracle, it turned out Minako _did_ want it also, taking it back now would probably demolish whatever future she could have or _wanted_ to have with Minako.

* * *

Rei slowly propped herself on her side, facing Minako, looking intensely into her terrified, cobalt eyes. Taking a deep breath, she spoke soothingly, "Mina, I feel the same way about you. You're all I want. I don't want anyone else. I don't want to _be_ with anyone else. I want to show you that I'm not going anywhere. It's taken me 22 years to find you, I'm sure as hell not going to let you go that easily. And, no, this isn't your aura influencing me. I'm not confused. This is _me_ talking. This is what _I_ want."

She began reaching for Minako's hand slowly, "So, I'm asking you, Aino Minako. Please...be my girlfriend."

Minako pulled her hand away before Rei could reach it. Though Rei was hurt by this small act, what caught her attention most and made her jump slightly was how Minako's aura suddenly reappeared and was violently shaking around Minako's being. The shock had apparently worn off and the colors began emitting a multitude of emotions that passed so quickly Rei was almost dizzy trying to read them. But one that dominated them all…was Fear.

* * *

Minako looked away, unable to hold Rei's gaze, unable to see the hurt in Rei's eyes, "Rei-chan," she said softly, "I…I don't do 'girlfriend'…I never have."

Rei was taken aback, "W-What? What do you mean, Mina? I…I don't understand."

"…Why?" Minako said softly, "Why do we have to put a label on it? Why can't we just be how we are now?"

Rei was speechless. Her heart shattered as she watched Minako, cowering like a cornered animal, her aura quivering close to her delicate body as if trying to protect Minako from some unknown threat.

Minako looked back to Rei with pleading, azure eyes, "Please, Rei-chan, don't…don't ask me to be your girlfriend. You won't like the answer and I…I don't want to hurt you…I just…"

She looked away again as she shut her eyes tightly, gripping the blanket beneath her hand hard, "But I just can't. And, I know…I know how selfish that is, not being able to bear the thought of you not being with me and me not being able to…to commit like that."

"…I see," Rei whispered quietly.

* * *

Minako kept her eyes shut tightly, anticipating Rei's next move: ask her to leave, never see her again. And who would blame her? Minako had pursued _her_ , practically _threw_ herself at her, asked her to go out with her to see where this would go, asked her to trust her, asked her to do things she'd never done before, pushed her limits, allegedly _begged_ her to stay, to not leave, and, arguably, took advantage of her abilities. And, throughout it all, Rei was so willing to trust her without question.

Now, when Rei asked for trust in return, Minako couldn't…wouldn't…reciprocate. Rei deserved so much more than what Minako could, or _couldn't_ , offer.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, she gave in to a strong urge that compelled her to leave. Better to leave now and not have to see the hurt, the anger, the betrayal in those amethyst eyes she adored so much. It was bad enough that her last image of them was one of pain.

Minako held her breath, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to come. Not only had she hurt Rei by pulling away, she couldn't give her what she wanted. What made her think she'd be able to have Rei commit to staying with her, to never leave her, be hers…without being able to to do the same in return? It was ludicrous!

She rolled away quickly from Rei and sat up once she got to the edge of the bed, mentally mapping the quickest route to grab her essentials and leave without looking back.

* * *

She was so upset she didn't notice the bed shift behind her and was startled when a pair of warm arms quickly wrapped around her from behind protectively. Her cobalt eyes shot open as a warm body that smelled sweetly of vanilla pressed against her back firmly.

"Mina," Rei whispered in her ear. She was on her knees behind Minako, holding her flush against her body, as close as possible, "Please…Please don't run away. I won't ask you to be my girlfriend...but I _do_ want to show you that I'm not going anywhere…that I'm not going to leave you. So I...I promise…I promise with everything I am, that I won't leave you unless you want me to. For as long as you want me, for as long as you'll have me, I promise I'll stay by your side."

Minako's eyes widened in shock, "Rei-chan…," she whispered. She was stunned. What Rei was saying didn't make sense to her, "Why?...Why would you promise that? Why me? You deserve so much more than-"

"Because we're the same," Rei replied softly, "Because I'm not ready to be vulnerable physically just like you're not ready to be vulnerable emotionally. Because you're scared and so am I. I'm so terrified that I can't control myself and have panic attacks. You run. Because I want to respect your limits just as much as you have for me. Because I care about you. Because I want to be with you. Because I can't fight how strongly I feel for you. Because I can't lose you just as much, if not more, than you can't stand to lose me. Because, of all the people you could have had in the world, you saw me. You chose me and I'm…I'm choosing you, Mina."

"Rei-chan," Minako whispered. She couldn't stop the tears that were now freely flowing from her eyes. She felt Rei tighten her grip on her.

"I…I won't stop you if…if you really want to leave," Rei whispered. Minako could feel her begin to shake slightly, "But I…I promised I'd be honest with you and I…I don't want you to go." She nuzzled her face into Minako's silky hair and kissed the back of her head, "Please, Mina" she pleaded softly, "Please…don't run away."

* * *

Minako took a steadying breath and wiped the tears from her face. She shifted to the side and felt Rei reluctantly loosened her grip to allow her to move.

Minako turned her head slowly. Her soft, cobalt eyes found Rei's intense, lavender eyes gazing back at her with concern, fear, and…hope.

"Rei-chan," Minako said softly. She brought a hand up to gently caress Rei's cheek, "I'm going…"

Rei couldn't breathe, her eyes widened with sadness and she felt like everything inside of her was shattering.

"…to go get a glass of water. Did you want me to get you anything while I'm up?," Minako continued.

It took Rei a moment to comprehend what Minako had just said, but her heart understood perfectly. She had gotten through to her, Minako wasn't leaving, she was staying.

A sly smile crept onto Minako's lips and Rei felt her aura turn playful. As Rei's mind caught up to her, it suddenly dawned on her: Minako had purposefully paused her sentence to make it sound like she was leaving!

"Mou, Minako!," Rei exclaimed loudly with annoyance. She sat back on her heels and turned away in a huff as she crossed her arms. She heard Minako giggle in her melodic voice that always managed to melt her heart. The bed shifted and a pair of warm arms wrapped around her neck. Soft lips kissed her cheek.

"I'm sorry, that was a pretty harsh joke," Minako said with a giggle as she nuzzled her face into the crook of Rei's neck, "I couldn't help it, you make it so irresistible to tease you sometimes."

"Mataku, this woman," Rei grumbled under her breath.

"You sure you still want to be with me?," Minako teased.

"I'm second-guessing my decision," Rei huffed.

"Mou, Rei-chan," Minako cooed endearingly. She placed a gentle kiss on Rei's neck, "I'm really sorry, baby. Please forgive me?"

Rei's resolve to continue staying upset at the gorgeous blonde faded. She sighed and a smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she turned back to the smaller woman and wrapped her arms tightly around her to bringing her closer.

"Yes, princess," Rei said, allowing the sense of relief to finally wash over her. If Minako was teasing her, deciding to stay after all that had just happened, after all that was said within the last several minutes, it must mean she was willing, to some degree, to take a leap of faith and trust Rei.

She could feel it in Minako's aura too, a sense of relief that felt like a breath of fresh air after drowning. But, within the undertones of her aura, she could still make out a dim hesitation deep within.

Minako sighed happily and kissed Rei's collarbone before gently pulling away, "So do you need anything while I'm up?"

"Just for you to come back to bed soon, naked child," Rei smirked.

"Yes, ma'aaam," Minako replied obediently. She released Rei and walked out to the kitchen.

* * *

As the gorgeous blond walk to the kitchen, Rei tucked herself back into bed to wait. She stared pensively at the ceiling, as if studying it, while the issue of Minako's fears still gnawed at the back of her mind.

What happened to her? What caused her to be so fearful of being abandoned while paradoxically not allowing herself to get attached? More importantly, it didn't seem like Minako had a clue either. Or maybe…Minako _didn't_ _want_ to know.

Rei furrowed her brow as she thought. Though they've gotten quite close, their relationship was still in its infancy. It'd be impossible to know everything about someone in a mere week. They were still learning about each other, about themselves, and about themselves _with_ each other.

She shook her head, deciding to let the issue go for now. At this very moment, all she really cared about was how glad she was she didn't lose the best thing that ever happened to her. If Minako needed time, Rei would give her all the time in the world. If Minako needed Rei to stay, she would always be there, as she promised. If, Kami-sama forbid, Minako needed Rei to leave, she would…reluctantly…let her go. Rei would do anything for her to ensure her happiness.

* * *

Minako returned with a glass of water. She took a few sips, set it down on the nightstand next to her side of the bed, and crawled under the covers to snuggle close to the beautiful, raven-haired woman. Rei wrapped her arm around the smaller woman, holding her close.

"You buttoned up your shirt," Minako said softly when she placed her hand over Rei's stomach.

"I did?," Rei replied in confusion. She felt her shirt and, sure enough, it was buttoned up and Minako's hand was resting on the satin fabric, "Oh…I guess I did."

 _That's strange. I didn't even notice I did that,_ Rei thought to herself.

"Hey…Rei-chan?," Minako asked hesitantly, "Is it…Is it ok if I…" She paused and shook her head slightly, "Nevermind."

Rei could tell what Minako was asking for. She took a breath and brought her hand up to gently take Minako's hand and guide it to the bottom of her satin shirt. She tucked Minako's hand up underneath the fabric, resting it gently on her stomach. Minako smiled softly as Rei's hand let go of hers and pulled out to rest on top of Minako's hand over her shirt.

"You ok?" Minako asked with concern.

"Mmn," Rei said, "It's still intense, but it's getting easier."

"I'm glad," Minako said as she cuddled closer.

Rei wanted to ask Minako the same thing, to check whether she was ok, but decided to let her be. Instead, she combed Minako's hair with her fingers comfortingly. She smiled as Minako sighed contently. As she continued to stroke the smaller woman's silky mane, she felt Minako's aura shift into that soft flame she absolutely adored, "Mina, what are you feeling right now?"

"Hmm?," Minako asked. Rei noticed that the soft flame died down and was replaced by Minako's usual warm glow, "I'm just happy being with you like this. Why?"

"N-Nothing, I was just curious," Rei replied, attempting to go for casual. Minako settled back down on her chest and Rei was glad that Minako didn't notice her hesitation or look up to her face. Otherwise, Minako might have noticed Rei's brow furrowing,

 _She_ _really_ _has no idea,_ Rei thought to herself.

Having grown up with her abilities and her extensive training, Rei was not unfamiliar with self-reflection and analyzing her emotions. It made it easier to control her abilities and read the auras of others. Now, it was practically second-nature to her. For someone who's been in relationships before, Rei couldn't comprehend the fact that Minako was so out of touch with herself,

 _She must have really strong walls up if she doesn't even know her own feelings,_ Rei thought to herself, _It was really easy for her to push them away, almost as if she's done it before._

* * *

Minako's yawn interrupted Rei's thoughts and brought her attention back to the woman resting on top of her. She watched affectionately as her aura dimmed and smiled. She leaned down to gently kiss the top of Minako's head.

"Good night, baby," Minako sighed.

"Good night, princess," Rei said softly. She settled in and soon followed Minako into slumber.

* * *

 **Author Note:** …And, with that, things just got complicated.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	25. Chapter 25

**Author Note:** Guess who has two thumbs and a 101.5' fever from strep throat? -_-;; Figured I should make the most of my sick time while I'm stuck at home. I apologize for how small this chapter is.

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Mayer, J. (2009). _Half of My Heart_ [Recorded by John Mayer ft. Taylor Swift]. On Battle Studies [CD], New York, New York and Nashville, Tennessee: Columbia Records and Big Machine Records.

Dodd, A. and Watts, A. (2004). _Beautiful Soul_ [Recorded by Jesse McCartney]. On Beautiful Soul [CD], Burbank, California: Hollywood Records.

* * *

 **Chapter 25:**

 _ **\- Lonely was the song I sang, 'til the day you came. Showing me another way and all that my love can bring. Oh, half of my heart's got a grip on the situation. Half of my heart takes time. -**_

Minako's eyes fluttered opened at the soft sound of music playing overhead. She was lying on her stomach, per usual to how she slept. She arched her back, stretching the sleep from her muscles. As she stretched, she inhaled deeply and took in the familiar scent of…Coffee?

She lazily rubbed the sleep from her eyes and she turned, only to find Rei's side of the bed unoccupied. She blinked a couple times as she brought herself to sit up and look around. She smiled to herself when she found her clothes neatly folded on the table at the end of the room. Though the bedroom door was closed, she could hear soft clanking and movement from beyond in the living room. Guessing that's where she would find her raven-haired beauty, she crawled out of bed and began her morning routine.

When Minako finished, was dressed, and opened the bedroom door, she was met by a pleasant aroma. As she opened it wider, she found Rei placing a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast with butter and jam on the dining table with a small bowl of cut fruit and a cup of coffee. The beautiful archer was wearing boot-cut jeans and a dark-yellow tanktop.

Rei turned as she heard the bedroom door open and smiled at Minako, "Perfect timing," she said cheerfully, "Breakfast is ready."

"You made me breakfast?," Minako asked with surprise.

"Actually, it's more like brunch," Rei replied with a smirk as she pulled out the chair for her, "It's almost 11:00am."

"Oh, wow," Minako said with slight astonishment as she walked towards the table. She sat down in the proffered chair and scooted herself closer to the table as Rei took a seat next to her to read her newspaper and have her morning green tea.

As Minako ate, she watched Rei adoringly, remembering how the beautiful raven was doing the exact same thing their first morning together. Both continued enjoying the comfortable silence between them.

* * *

"So you're still hanging out with Odango later today?," Rei asked casually as she continued to read her newspaper.

"Mmn," Minako replied with a nod as she finished her meal, "We're having a girls' night with some friends." She began talking aloud to herself as she thought, "Which reminds me, I need to run a couple errands before then so I should probably leave soon. I didn't realize how late it was."

She giggled softly, "We usually go until all hours of the night so I have to go get some provisions." Realization hit her and she sighed disappointedly. She looked to Rei apologetically, "That probably means we won't be able to hang out later today."

"That's ok," Rei replied as she looked up from her newspaper with a sincere smile. She folded up the paper and set it aside, "I actually have something I need to do later today so that works out. How about tomorrow, are you doing anything?"

"Hmm," Minako thought, "I don't think I have anything planned."

"Ok," Rei replied warmly, "I text you tomorrow then." Her eyes landed on the locket that was hanging from Minako's neck.

"You kept the necklace on all night," Rei said endearingly.

"Mmn," Minako replied as a warm smile graced her lips. She looked down and reached up to touch her necklace, "I love it, I don't ever want to take it off."

"I'm glad you like it so much," Rei replied contently.

Minako sighed and pouted slightly as she looked up to the beautiful archer, "I'm a little sad I won't be able to see you until tomorrow." A smirk pulled at the corner of her lips as she winked, "But maybe it'll be a good thing. I don't want you to get sick of me or anything."

Rei's face turned serious at Minako's playful words. She reached out and cupped Minako's cheek, her thumb stroking it gently. Her clear, intense, amethyst eyes looked deep into Minako's sapphires,

"I could never get enough of you," Rei whispered.

Minako blushed and felt like she was going to melt under Rei's gaze. She leaned into Rei's warm touch, "Baby," she whispered with concern, "Are we…Are we ok?"

Rei searched Minako's face, trying to read her aura, but it was becoming difficult due to the multitude of emotions that were coursing through it, as if struggling to make sense of each other.

"Mmn," Rei nodded softly, trying to comfort the smaller woman, "I want us to be. Like you said, we're still getting used to each other. We'll take it one day at a time, ok? Whatever you need, I'm not going anywhere."

"But, Rei-chan," Minako whispered, "What do _you_ need?"

"You know what I need, Mina," Rei said softly. She lowered her hand to find Minako's and brought it to her lips, "I need you. I just want you to be happy."

Minako let out a long sigh as she shook her head, "Always so stubborn." She turned to glance over at the stove clock, which read 11:25am, "I should get going."

"Ok," Rei replied quietly. She released Minako's hand and stood up to collect the dishes and walk them to the sink, "I put your purse by the door. And don't worry about your dress, Nobuo-san's coming over later to pick up yours and mine to take to the dry-cleaner."

"Thanks, baby," Minako said as she stood up and tucked her chair back into the table. She walked to the door and began slipping her shoes on as Rei came over to see her out. Minako turned around to wrap her arms around Rei's neck. She rested her forehead on Rei's and giggled softly,

"This feels like déjà vu. Reminds me of our first morning together," Minako said fondly.

"Mmn, me too," Rei chuckled as she placed her hands on Minako's hips, "You're not planning on going to any weddings later today, are you?" she joked.

Minako laughed, "Nope, not that I know of. You?"

Rei leaned in and softly kissed Minako on the lips, "Not without you."

Minako blushed slightly as she looked up at the beautiful, raven-haired woman, "Text me, ok?"

"Of course," Rei replied. She closed her eyes and leaned in to kiss Minako again on the lips, who also closed her eyes and returned the kiss.

As the kiss slowly deepened, Minako's tongue gently stroked Rei's bottom lip, sending delightful shivers through Rei's spine. Rei responded by sliding her hands up Minako's back, pulling her closer as she parted her lips and met Minako's tongue with her own. They kissed for a while, becoming absolutely lost in each other, until Minako reluctantly ended it. Both women were panting softly as they slowly opened their eyes, amethyst meeting sapphire. Rei took a deep breath,

"I hope that'll be enough to last me until tomorrow," Rei sighed, "But I'm pretty sure it won't be."

Minako blushed slightly and smirked, "Good, I'm glad I won't be the only one suffering then."

Rei smirked as she kissed Minako's forehead. She hugged her tightly before pulling away, "Now go so I can suffer and miss you in peace," she said playfully.

Minako let out a melodic laughed as she stroked Rei's cheek lightly with her fingers. She smiled softly as she turned, collected her things, and opened the door. As she walked out, she looked over her shoulder and gave a small wave before walking down the hall towards the elevator.

* * *

Once Rei shut and locked the door, she turned and leaned her back against the door.

 _ **\- You might need time to think it over, but I'm just fine moving forward. I'll ease your mind if you give me the chance. I will never make you cry. C'mon let's try. I don't want another pretty face. I don't want just anyone to hold. I don't want my love to go to waste. I want you and your beautiful soul. You're the one I wanna chase. You're the one I wanna hold. I won't let another minute go to waste. I want you and your beautiful soul. Am I crazy for wanting you? Maybe do you think you could want me too? -**_

Rei had almost forgotten she turned on her music while she was making breakfast for Minako. She sighed as she listened to the song and sank to the ground, curling into herself, bringing her knees to her chest.

"What am I going to do?," Rei whispered aloud to herself, almost hopelessly. She had already come to terms with the fact that she had fallen hard for the gorgeous blonde. Why else would she be ok making a promise to always be with her? She didn't expect anything in return, like how Minako didn't expect anything in return physically from her. They wanted to be with each other, but they just weren't ready in their own ways regarding certain things…simple as that.

She thought back to their date the night before and a soft smile came to her lips. The way Minako reacted to the jet, the dinner, the necklace…she looked so happy…which made it all so worth it.

A chuckle escaped as she remembered Minako's experiment in touching her for the first time. She was slowly getting comfortable with the idea of having Minako so close, closer than anyone before. Though it was terrifying, Rei couldn't deny that she, to some small extent…liked it… _wanted_ it even. She trusted Minako, knew in her mind Minako wouldn't hurt her. Now, it was just a matter of making her irrational subconscious align with her logical mind. She wanted this to work. She wanted to work on conquering her fears for them, for Minako, and for herself.

The smile slowly slipped from her lips when she remembered the discussion that immediately followed. Her face turned pensive, she almost didn't know what to make of it all. Minako didn't make sense. Her heart ached as she remembered how scared Minako was when she questioned her about her feelings, _Kami-sama, to be_ _so_ _disconnected…_ _so_ _emotionally removed...and yet be able to have such a caring heart…It's no small miracle that she's not sociopathic!_

She absently tucked a stray hair behind her ear as she chuckled mirthlessly to herself, "Maybe _I'm_ crazy, falling for someone who might be emotionally unavailable." She sighed and let her head fall back against the door with a soft 'thud'. She stared up at the ceiling as she reflected on the past week. Minako was so willing to trust Rei when it came to her body, with no hesitation.

"What about your heart, Mina?," Rei whispered to herself.

 _ **Beep Beep!**_

Rei's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a text message being received on her phone. She straightened her left leg, pulled the device out of her pocket, and flipped it open to read the message. A small smirk appeared on her lips as she typed a few keys.

As the sound of a text being sent was heard, she shut it and slid it back into her pocket. She sighed deeply and picked herself off the floor to go to her breakfast bar and pressed a button on her small, white remote, turning off the music in her condo. She headed towards her bedroom to her closet and pulled out a black duffle bag, which appeared to be fairly weighty due to whatever was inside. She headed back to the front door, found a pair of casual sneakers to slide on over her feet, and opened the door,

"Ittekimasu," she called over her shoulder into the condo.

She paused briefly, a touch of sadness tinting her intense, amethyst eyes as she was only met by silence. She sighed as she closed the door softly, locking it behind her, and continued down the hall to the elevator.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Rei's got a lot to think about.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	26. Chapter 26

**Author Note:** Another day of sickness…which means another chapter for all of you! ^_^ I love being able to write all day and night and update this much while at home sick, but don't get used to it as I'm probably going to go back to work tomorrow. =P:::

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Buzbee, Frampton, D., and Shapiro, T. (2011). _I Will_ [Recorded by Dia Frampton ft. Blake Shelton]. On Red [CD], Santa Monica, California: Universal Republic Records.

Elofsson, J. (1999). _Sometimes_ [Recorded by Britney Spears]. On ...Baby One More Time [CD], New York, New York: Jive Records.

The term "cliffnotes" is used as a proprietary eponym in this fiction piece and does not refer to the CliffsNotes company or brand.

The company 'Mineralogy' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 26:**

 _ **\- If you're feeling like the queen of nothing's working and you question every choice you make, when you're sick and tired of being so uncertain and everything you thought was right is lost along the way, who's gonna always have your back? Who's gonna be a friend like that? I will. I will. Who's gonna try to make you laugh, remind you life ain't all that bad? I will. I will. Anytime, anyplace, I don't care. No questions, no judgements, I'll be there. -**_

Minako found herself softly singing along to the uplifting pop-country song as it played over the radio while she drove to Karin's house. She had gone home to drop off her things, check her mail, freshened up, and immediately went back out to a couple stores to buy some things before heading over.

Now, with the monotony of driving to her friends' home, Minako felt uneasy. Yesterday was a whirlwind of emotions. She still felt very conflicted about a certain devastatingly beautiful archer, a nervousness plaguing her as she thought about their relationship.

As she drove, she began smiling dreamily as she remembered the date from the night before. It was unbelievable. Her hand reached up and gently touched the locket around her neck.

 _I should put the photos we took at the beach in here,_ she thought as she played with the locket between her fingers.

Her smile widened at the memory of being able to touch Rei for the first time. The outcome could have been much worse, but it turned out better than she expected. She was getting somewhere with Rei in regards to her aversion to physical contact.

Her smile slowly disappeared as the memory of what happened next. The uneasiness settled again in her chest. Minako was, to say the least, floored by the whole thing.

She knew better than anyone that sometimes things just didn't work out in relationships. It wouldn't be anyone's fault. It just was, no big deal. Which is why it frustrated her to no end when Rei began questioning her. Why would she, of _all_ people…say the things that Rei allegedly heard?

But Rei had no reason to lie to her, no reason to make something up like that. She promised to be honest with Minako, which practically _guaranteed_ that she wasn't lying. Which is what made it so difficult for Minako to swallow…what Rei was alleging _had_ to be true.

She felt…vulnerable. She wasn't unfamiliar with the feeling, it was something she usually felt when she would couple with another person. It was not unlike how she felt when she allowed Rei to dominate her at the hotel. But that was a different type of vulnerability…an exciting one. She liked it… _wanted_ it sometimes. It was something she was very comfortable with.

No, this vulnerability was more…terrifying. What made it even moreso was not knowing exactly _why_ it was so terrifying. Rei was searching… _probing_ for something. Minako didn't know what she wanted and Rei just kept… _pressing_. She felt trapped, cornered, perhaps even a little betrayed…Why was Rei doing this? It didn't make sense, it was all so confusing.

Then, out of nowhere, Minako just started…talking. She was shocked by what came out of her mouth.

 _I can't believe I said all those things,_ Minako thought to herself.

She shivered slightly as the memory of Rei asking her to be her girlfriend hit her hard. She had never been comfortable with the idea of being tied to someone like that. It was just something she couldn't bring herself to do. What was the point? It was just a word, a useless label. It wouldn't sustain their relationship…or stop them from breaking up.

But what floored her the most, what caused her to feel overwhelmingly stunned, was Rei's promise. Minako didn't know what to make of the beautiful archer. She was giving herself to Minako in an emotional sense, willingly laying them bare and exposed to her, without asking for anything in return. She had, essentially, given all the power to Minako to make or even break them…or worse…to break her.

 _I can't believe how much she trusts me,_ Minako thought to herself. Thought it still baffled her, unable to understand why the archer would do such a thing, Rei's promise made her feel…safe in a way. She very much liked the idea of being with Rei for a long time.

 _ **\- You tell me you're in love with me like you can't take your pretty eyes away from me. It's not that I don't want to stay. But every time you come too close I move away. I wanna believe in everything that you say 'cause it sounds so good. But if you really want me, move slow. There's things about me you just have to know. Sometimes I run, sometimes I hide, sometimes I'm scared of you. But all I really want is to hold you tight, treat you right, be with you day and night. Baby, all I need is time -**_

Minako's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar pop song that began playing next over the radio. Her face turned pensive as she listened to the words.

 _I_ _was_ _about to run,_ Minako thought to herself. She took an irritated breath, _Damn Rei-chan and her abilities! She's just as bad as Michi-chan!_

She shook her head slightly as she half-smiled to herself, _But it's still incredible she can sense that…_ _She's_ _so incredible._

Her smile slowly disappeared as she sighed dejectedly, "What am I going to do?," she said aloud to herself.

Did she like Rei? Yes, very much so. Did she want Rei to be with her? Abso- _fucking_ -lutely!

Could she…be Rei's girlfriend? Could she ever willingly and completely give herself emotionally to someone like that? The thought of being so attached…

An uneasiness began settling in her chest. The thought of being so vulnerable, to allow someone to wield such power over her…it terrified her.

Did she trust Rei? Yes, there was no question. She knew the caring archer would never hurt her, could feel it in her touch, see it in her eyes, hear it in her smooth voice. She tried to think of a reason why she would be so frightened, but no answer came to her and she scoffed aloud in frustration.

Yes, she had dated quite a few people prior to Rei. Had the question come up before to be someone's girlfriend? Yes, many times and she always said no. Eventually, the relationship would end, confirming to Minako that it probably wasn't meant to be.

 _Things happen for a reason,_ she remind herself. Usually after her relationships ended, she would breathe a sigh of relief that she had the wisdom _not_ to take that next step.

But this was different… _Rei_ was different. No…she was special. Minako couldn't deny how much she felt for the beautiful archer. A cold shiver ran down her spine at this realization. The depth of her feelings for Rei was…almost indescribable. Yes, she liked others before, loved her sister and her friends dearly.

But this…this feeling…was something else altogether. Practically in its own category. What would happen if she ever let Rei…or _anyone_ for that matter…get too close? The thought made her hold her breath, fighting back tears.

 _Maybe it'd be better for both of us if I just ended it now,_ Minako thought to herself, _Rei-chan deserves so much more…so much better than me._

The image of Rei's rare, violet eyes gazing wide back at her with such sadness when she thought Minako was going to leave last night interrupted her thoughts. Minako shook her head, _No, I can't hurt her like that. Not after how much progress we've made. Not after…she placed so much trust in me._

She turned left down a quaint street, _Plus…I can't stand the thought of not being with her. And she still wants to be with me even though I'm so fucked up. If she's willing to try, maybe…maybe I can too…for her._

* * *

A familiar house came into view and broke her out of her train of thought. She smiled as she pulled into the driveway of a two-story townhome. She began to feel herself relax. She was excited and eager to see her friends and sister again after what seemed like such a long time, especially after all that's happened since they all last saw each other. If anything, it would at least serve as a distraction from her uneasiness.

She turned off her car and gracefully stepped out and shut the door. She was about to go to the trunk and retrieve some grocery bags when she paused and braced herself against the door of her car. A flash of sharp pain shot through her head and quickly disappated, leaving behind a dull ache. Minako groaned quietly as she found her footing again, bringing a hand up to massage her temple.

 _Too much thinking,_ She smirked to herself as she shook her head. She continued to her trunk, collected the items she brought with her, and locked the car. She headed to the front door and rang the doorbell.

A petite woman with long, wavy, light-taupe hair, and kind pale-blue eyes opened the door, "Ah, Mina-chan! Come in, come in!," The petite woman said in a soft voice. She opened the door wider to let Minako in.

"Hi, Azumi-chan!," Minako beamed when she saw her friend, Ishi Azumi.

 _Fujii_ _Azumi now, I guess_ , Minako giggled to herself. She entered the house and took off her shoes. She gave the woman a big hugged and handed one of the bags over to the petite woman, "I brought a bottle of wine for dinner. The snacks and chick-flicks are for later."

"Great!," Azumi replied. She looked in the bag Minako gave her and pulled out the wine, "Oooo, a Chianti!," she said eagerly.

Minako giggled, "You said you were making Italian tonight so I thought this would be good."

"Mmn, this is perfect!," Azumi nodded appreciatively as she looked up at Minako. Her eyes were immediately drawn to Minako's neck, "Wow! That's such a pretty necklace!"

"T-Thanks," Minako blushed as she touched it.

"Is it new?," Azumi asked as she peered closer to examine the locket.

"Y-Yeah," Minako said shyly, "I got it from…someone I'm dating."

"Aaah, I seeee," Azumi sang knowingly. She began walking towards the kitchen and gestured for Minako to follow, "C'mon, we can talk about it while we eat. Dinner's almost ready!"

* * *

Minako followed Azumi into the house towards the kitchen where Karin was laughing at a story Usagi was sharing,

"Oh my Gods, Usagi-chan! I can _totally_ see you doing that!," Karin said as she laughed. She was leaning back against the sink as she held her stomach laughing, "I wish I was there to see everyone's face!"

"I swear! I didn't know it was for _everyone_!," Usagi whined. She was standing next to Karin making big jestures with her arms to emphasize her point.

"It's a _fucking_ buffet! Why the _hell_ would you think it was just for the models if _you_ were the _only_ model on the shoot that afternoon?!," Karin laughed fully. Tears were coming out of her eyes and she was beginning to sound like she couldn't breathe from laughing so hard.

"Mou, Karin-chan!," Usagi pouted, "I was _hungry_! It was a _really_ _long_ shoot and-Oh! Mina-chan!," she smiled widely as she saw her twin sister. She bounded happily towards Minko.

"Hi, Usa-neechan," Minako said as she caught her sister in a big hug.

"Look what Mina-chan brought for us for dinner, honey," Azumi said as she walked over towards Karin and handed her the bottle before setting the grocery bag she was carrying on the counter.

"Oooo! Thanks, Mina-chan!," Karin said as she nodded to Minako.

"No problem," Minako replied, "Hey, do you have any asprin?" she asked, directing the question to Karin and Azumi.

"Why? What's wrong? What happened?," Usagi began questioning with concern as she released her sister and quickly brought a hand up to feel Minako's forehead.

Minako rolled her eyes and swatted Usagi's hand away playfully, "Nothing, nothing! I just have a headache, that's all. Probably just dehydration or something."

"Here," Azumi replied as she approached and traded Minako a glass of water and two small, white tablets for the other grocery bag in Minako's hand so she could set them on the counter.

"Thanks," Minako said gratefully as she popped the pills in her mouth and chased them with the water.

"OH MY GODS, MINA-CHAN!," Usagi exclaimed, almost causing Minako to choke on her water from being startled. She looked to her sister, who was looking down at her neck, "Is that Mineralogy?! Where did you get that necklace?! It's gorgeous!"

"U-Ummm…," Minako stuttered, embarrassed by the attention.

"C'mon, Usagi-chan," Karin interrupted playfully as she pushed herself off the sink and headed towards the twins, "She can tell us while we eat, I'm starving."

"Mmn! Me too!," Usagi said cheerfully, she grabbed Minako's hands in her own, "C'mon, help me set the table!"

"Why don't I help you with that instead?," Azumi said kindly as she rested a hand on Usagi's arm, "Give Mina-chan a second to breathe and say 'hi' to Karin first?"

"Mmn, ok!," Usagi nodded happily as she released Minako's hands and followed Azumi to the kitchen cabinets to collect the place settings.

* * *

Minako took a deep breath and sighed, she'd almost forgotten how overwhelming her older sister could be sometimes.

As Karin came over, Minako met her half-way and brought her in for a big hug, instantly relaxing into it.

"Hey, sweetie, you ok?," Karin asked softly with concern as she hugged Minako back. She was surprised by Minako's action, it was as if she were looking for comfort within the embrace.

"Mmn, I'm good," Minako replied softly. She kissed her friend on the cheek, "It's good to see you again," she said warmly.

"Mmn, I'm glad you could make it," Karin replied as she kiss Minako on the cheek. When the hug ended, Karin brought her hand up to examine Minako's necklace and whistled appreciatively, "It _is_ pretty. It really suits you."

Before Minako could reply, Usagi was right next to her and pulling at her arm, "C'mon, c'mon! I'm starving!" she whined.

"Yes, Usa-neechan," Minako replied obediently. She allowed Usagi to drag her to the kitchen table, which was just around the corner from the kitchen.

* * *

The friends sat down at the table, Usagi across from Azumi and Karin across from Minako, and began to dig in to the dinner Karin and Azumi made, which consisted of a home-made lasagna, salad, and garlic bread. The meal paired nicely with the wine Minako brought for the dinner as well.

"Mmmmm…Gods, this is _so_ good, Azumi-chan!," Minako said as she ate her first bite.

"Mmn! _Super_ good!," Usagi said as she began helping herself to a second-serving.

"Calm down, Usagi-chan," Karin teased, "I know you're a bottomless pit, but some of us want to eat too, you know!"

"Mou, Karin-chan!," Usagi pouted as everyone began laughing.

The conversation from there turned to Usagi's most recent trip to Australia with Mamoru where they did a photoshoot for a pretigious designer who wanted shots for some promotional material. The friends laughed at her antics while Usagi pouted as they made fun of her.

Azumi talked about her real-estate company and how she was able to close escrow for some clients who she had been working with for months and were looking at a short-sale apartment. As their dinner began winding down, with the Chianti finished and a bottle of Syrah half-way done, she cleared the plates so the friends could enjoy continuing to chat.

Karin talked about her first day in her new position at Kirei's corporate office and how it was nothing like she expected. She still enjoyed her work, but since she had to deal with so many negotiations with partner companies, she began considering going to law school to help her be better at her job.

"You should _totally_ do that," Minako encouraged, "You'd be _such_ a good lawyer, Karin-chan!"

"I already started looking into it. I have to put in a request to see if they'll allow me to take the time to do it and then another one to see if they'll give me some professional development funds to help pay for it," Karin smirked as she looked at Minako playfully, "Not like _someone_ who's so talented that they're _guaranteed_ a degree." Minako blushed and looked down at the table.

"Hmm?," Usagi said as her eyes darted questioningly between Karin and Minako.

"Ah, Karin told me that your promotion included a full-ride to any MBA program of your choice!," Azumi said excitely as she poked her head around the corner, "That so exciting! It must mean they really believe in your talents if you're the only one who's ever gotten that!"

"WHAT!?," Usagi exclaimed. Her friends and twin winced at the high-pitched noise, "MINA-CHAN WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!? THAT'S SO AWESOME!"

"Mou, Usa-neechan!," Minako chided, "There's _absolutely no_ need to yell!"

At her own statement, Minako smiled to herself as she recalled when Haruka said the same thing to her when she realized who Rei was at the wedding. Her brief, dreamy look didn't go unnoticed by Karin.

"Yeah," Karin smirked. She continued to look at Minako from the corner of her eyes as she spoke to Usagi, "But I think Mina-chan wanted to wait before she looks into that, right Mina-chan?," Her question interrupted Minako's thoughts, causing Minako to blink a few times,

"O-Oh, yeah. Yeah, I do," Minako stuttered in reply.

"Speaking of work," Karin said, easing into the next topic, "Usagi-chan told us you met someone recently at work?"

Minako blushed crimson, "Y-Yeah," was all she could manage.

"It's Hino Rei! Can you believe it!?," Usagi exclaimed, "She came into Kirei after you and Azumi-chan left and they hit it off really well. She was also part of the wedding we were at last week and they ended up hanging out every day since then! Mina-chan told me she was going to take her on a fancy date yesterday too! You should have seen them, they're so cute together! Hino-san's _really_ into Mina-chan and she's _so_ pretty in person! Like a-"

"Are _you_ dating Hino Rei or is Mina-chan?," Karin teased as she winked at Usagi, "If _you_ are, you should _really_ tell Mamoru-kun how he made you switch sides. I'm sure he'd _love_ it."

Usagi blushed and pouted as she crossed her arms. Though Minako was mortified by how much Usagi had already disclosed, she allowed herself to giggle at the exchange, glad that Karin was able to shut her sister up.

"So, Hino Rei, huh?," Karin asked as she looked at Minako.

"…Yeah," Minako nodded shyly. A small smile pulled at her lips at the mention of Rei's name.

"And how's it been?," Karin asked.

A flash of worry came across Minako's face before she quickly shook it off and smiled, "Good. Really good."

Karin, having dated, worked with, and become close friends with Minako, caught the brief emotion Minako attempted to hide. Her face turned to concern,

"Mina-chan, are you sure-," she began before she was cut off by Usagi.

"Hey, hey! Tell us about the date you two had last night!," Usagi said enthusiastically.

Minako blushed as she smiled softly. She reached up and touched her locket absently as her eyes took on a dreamy, distant look, "It was…amazing," she sighed.

"Tell us, tell us!," Usagi exclaimed, nearly bounching out of her chair from excitement.

"Wait, wait!," Azumi exclaimed from the kitchen, "I want to hear all the details from the beginning, not just Usagi-chan's cliffnotes!"

Minako blushed as she recounted the story of how she met Rei at Kirei, keeping it brief and superficial so as and not to share more critical details like Rei's abilities.

"So _that's_ why you didn't bring the sake tonight," Karin smiled slyly.

"S-Sorry," Minako said sheepishly as she looked at her hosts apologetically.

"No, don't worry about it!," Azumi waved her hand to dismiss Minako's concern as she came back to the table and sat down. She winked, "I'm glad it went to good use. Please, continue."

Minako blushed more as she continued with her story. She shared how they met again at the wedding and how they'd been seeing each other all week since then. She eventually got to the celebratory dinner in Kyoto last night,

"SHE FLEW YOU TO KYOTO FOR DINNER IN A PRIVATE JET?!," Usagi exclaimed.

"Mou, Usagi-chan!," Karin scolded, "I'm only 21, I don't want to be deaf at such a young age!"

"But that's, like, a _big deal_!," Usagi said with an excited, wide smile.

"So she gave you the necklace last night then?," Azumi asked.

Minako looked at her with surprise, "Y-Yeah, how did you know?," she asked.

"You keep touching it whenever you say her name," Azumi smiled warmly, "It's cute." Mianko blushed deeply, unware of her own actions.

"Isn't she a really private person? She always seems really cold and distant in her interviews," Karin said as she thought aloud.

"She _is_ a private person," Minako replied. She smiled dreamily, "But she's anything _but_ cold. She's caring and gentle and kind. And she really likes kids, she's adorable with them."

"Awwww, that's so cute!," Usagi said.

"So, it _does_ sounds like everything's going well," Karin said, bringing the conversation back to the details of their relationship, moreso wanting to get back to the worried look that Minako had earlier, "Is there anything that's _not_ going well?"

"Blunt as usual, honey," Azumi sighed as she shook her head.

"I just want to know," Karin said defensively as she raised her hands innocently, "If anyone's going to be dating our Mina-chan, they'd better come right is all I'm saying."

"N-No, everything's good," Minako smiled in reply, but Karin could see it didn't reach her eyes. There was a hint of nervousness in her voice. She knew Minako was hiding something. She turned to look at her wife briefly, as if silently communicating with her. Azumi smiled knowingly and got up,

"Hey, Usagi-chan?," Azumi asked kindly, "Can you help me clean things up in the kitchen and put stuff away?"

"Sure!," Usagi said eagerly. She got up and went to the kitchen with Azumi.

Once the two left the room, Karin got up and grabbed her wine glass and the bottle of Syrah. She looked at Minako and smiled softly, "C'mon, let's go to the patio."

* * *

Out on the patio, the sun had already set but the dusk sky was still lit with soft purples, blues, and a touch of orange, making for a very romantic scene.

But Minako had a foreboding suspicion that this was going to be anything _but_ as she nervously sat down in one of the cushioned, patio chairs that was set next to a square, glass-topped patio table. She set her glass of wine down on the table in front of her as Karin took the seat across from her.

Karin filled her glass and Minako's before setting the bottle on the table. She took a sip of her wine as she looked at Minako with concern. Setting her glass down, she rested her elbow on the table and propped her chin on her opened hand.

"Mina-chan," Karin said softly, "Tell me what's going on."

"What do you mean?," Minako asked as innocently as she could as she brought her wine glass to her lips and took a sip. She looked back at her friend with bright, sapphire doe-eyes.

"C'mon, Mina-chan, don't be like that," Karin said disappointedly, "It's me, sweetie. You know you can talk to me."

Minako sighed. Having dated Karin and become close friends with her for a little over three years now, she knew how protective she could be and knew she had seen through her façade. It was hard to hide things like that from her. Minako dropped the ruse, allowing her countenance to become pensive as she looked down at the table,

"There's…," Minako began hesitantly, "There's a couple things…"

"Like what?," Karin prodded gently.

"But we're working on them," Minako said dismissively as she looked up at Karin with a half-smile, "We're fine. _I'm_ fine. There's nothing to worry about." She took a big sip of wine to help her calm her nerves and hoped that Karin would drop the subject.

She didn't.

"Mina-chan," Karin said in a low voice, "Hino-san isn't…She isn't hurting you, is she? If she is, I swear to the Gods-"

"W-What!?," Minako sputtered, almost choking on her wine. She coughed to clear her throat and set her glass down, " _Gods_ , no! It's _nothing_ like that!"

Karin raised an eyebrow and looked at Minako skeptically. Minako raised her hands up and waved them frantically, "No! _Absolutely_ not! She's…" Minako slowed her hands and rested them on the table as she looked down and blushed, "She's great, actually," she whispered, "She's…the best and most amazing thing that's ever happened to me."

Karin's blinked a few times in disbelief. She could always tell when Minako was telling the truth and knew Minako was at this moment. What shocked her was Minako's honesty. Usually when she would talk about someone she was dating, she was bubbly, nonchalant, casual. Now, to see her so shy, sharing so honestly, this was something new.

After a few moments, Karin's eyes softened, "Good, I'm glad to hear it," she said. She took another sip of her wine, "So what _is_ going on, Mina-chan?"

Minako's face turned pensive again. She brought her glass up to her lips and sipped her wine nervously, "I just…I don't know what to do, Karin-chan."

"About what?," Karin asked with concern.

Minako sighed nervously and closed her eyes, "You can't tell _anyone_ about this."

"Who am I going to tell?," Karin chuckled teasingly.

"I'm serious, Karin-chan" Minako said firmly as she looked up and glared her now midnight-blue eyes at her friend, " _No_ one. Not even Azumi-chan. This is _really_ personal."

Karin was surprised by Minako's change in character. For Minako to become so stern with her instead of her bubbly self, she knew that this was something not to take lightly, "Ok, I won't tell anyone," Karin replied sincerely.

Minako closed her eyes and sighed, bringing her glass of wine up to her lips as she leaned back in her chair, "She's a virgin and she gets panic attacks when I touch her," she said quickly before she took a long sip of her drink, as if saying it as fast as possible would make it hurt less.

"Oh, shit," Karin whispered in surprise. She leaned back in her chair and took a big gulp of her wine.

"I was able to touch her last night briefly," Minako continued softly, staring down at the glass she was holding in her hands, "It was just her stomach, but…," she paused, struggling to verbalize her thoughts, "All I want is to be near her…to be close to her and it's…it's hard not being able to, you know?"

Karin nodded in understanding as she listened. She knew how physically affectionate Minako was. Minako liked being able to share how much she cared about her friends or those closest to her through warm hugs or other means of platonic physical affection like friendly kisses. For those she was dating, she connected with them through more intimate means like soft caresses, holding hands, deep kisses, or even passionate sex. When it came to being confident about one's own body, Minako was unrivaled in that arena. Karin had experienced this herself and heard about it when Minako would talk about her many relationships throughout the years. It was almost as though the gorgeous blonde used it as a tool to communicate how she felt.

Now, with the physical aspects of Minako's relationship with Rei…complicated…by Rei's affliction, it didn't surprise Karin to hear that it made Minako apprehensive about their relationship.

"But, I mean, we're working on it," Minako said quickly, almost as if she were convincing herself, "It just…a work in progress."

"Mmn," Karin nodded as she sipped her wine. She wasn't surprised by this. When it came to someone she cared about, Minako always showed the utmost care for the other person's needs when it came to intimacy. But even though Minako wanted to help Rei, Karin knew that Minako mostly needed it for herself…to be able to connect to her in a way that she knew how.

"She must really trust you then to at least want to try," Karin said with an encouraging smile.

Minako's pursed her lips into a thin line as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"Hey, sweetie," Karin leaned forward with concern, "Mina-chan, what's wrong?"

Minako shook her head, fighting back the tears as a sad smile came to her lips, "Yeah…she _does_ trust me…more than I deserve."

"What do you mean?" Karin asked softly.

Minako swallowed before replying, her soft, melodic voice shaking, "She…she asked me to be her girlfriend."

Karin's eyes widened as she sat up, her mouth dropping open. She knew very well that Minako had a deep-seeded fear of commitment, though she had no idea why. It was why her relationships never really went to the next level. It was the reason Minako broke up with _her_ when they were dating. She asked Minako to be her girlfriend and Minako immediately retreated, ending the relationship the day after. After they broke up and became friends, Karin began to see a pattern in the gorgeous blonde's relationships. Minako would enter her relationships with intensity but ended them fairly quickly once 'the big question' came.

"...And what did you say to that?," Karin asked softly.

Minako's brow furrowed and Karin could see in her azure eyes that she was warring with herself as she relived the moment in her mind, "Nothing…She took it back."

Karin was stunned by this as Minako continued, "Instead she…she promised she would stay with me…for as long as I wanted," she said quietly as she swirled her wine in her glass, "And I…I don't know how to deal with that."

"Wow…shit," Karin said in disbelief. She leaned back in her chair and stared into her wine glass.

As she mulled over the information Minako shared with her, she found herself beginning to admire and respect the famous archer,

 _Well played, Hino-san,_ Karin thought as she smiled to herself. It _was_ well played, _genius_ even! Because of how quickly Rei was willing to drop her proposition and counter with her promise, she was able to show Minako how much she cared about her, provide her with the security she needed, while simultaneously allowing Minako the liberty to not have to commit. She suspected the athlete had to be quite mature emotionally to be able to decipher Minako's needs and respond so quickly, which is exactly what Minako needed.

Karin knew Minako always had issues with dealing with her emotions. The gorgeous blonde was an expert at avoiding them rather than facing them. Karin cared deeply about her dear friend and always hoped that she would find someone special who could break through that wall of hers. Someone patient, understanding, yet strong enough to challenge her. Someone who would make her feel safe enough to let her walls down. She knew Minako would never simply _allow_ someone to get close to her emotionally. She needed someone to confront her, _force_ her even, to analyze herself because, the Gods know, she would never do it on her own.

 _Maybe Hino-san's the one to do it_ , Karin thought hopefully as she sat up to refill her glass with wine. She offered the bottle to Minako, who looked up and placed her glass on the table for Karin to refill.

"Well, what you think about that?," Karin asked casually as she finished and set the bottle back down on the table. She knew Minako wouldn't try to decipher her feelings so she took the next closest approach and began appealing to her thought process instead.

Minako sighed as she brought her glass back to herself, "I just…I don't understand. I mean, she said she's ok with it but…she _shouldn't_ have done that. It's not fair to her."

She chuckled mirthlessly to herself at the irony. Rei... _perfect_ Rei...making a _huge_ mistake in putting all her faith into someone as undeserving as herself.

"Sounds kind of like you feel guilty that she did that?," Karin asked as she analyzed Minako's words.

Minako thought for a bit and nodded, "…I guess I do."

"Why?" Karin probed gently.

Minako sighed defeatedly, "Because I don't deserve-,"

"Stop," Karin interrupted as she shook her head and raised her hand impatiently, "Stop right there, Mina-chan. I don't want to hear about how you think you don't deserve to have someone care about you or the other self-depreciating bullshit you've got ready to say. You know how I feel about that. You're an amazing person and its obvious Hino-san sees that. I mean, why else would she make that promise?"

"But that's exactly it," Minako protested irritatedly as she looked up at her friend, "I really don't deserve-"

"Ah, ah!," Karin interrupted again, this time more sternly, "Mina-chan, do you think Hino-san is stupid?"

"What? No!," Minako replied quickly.

"Do you trust her?," Karin asked.

"Yeah, I do. I just-," Minako began.

"Then why are you questioning her decision?," Karin challenged gently, "If you think it's because you don't deserve it, then you're not really being fair to her either. _She_ obviously thinks you do so who are you to question her? If she respects and trusts you enough to make such a big promise, can't you at least trust and respect her decision to do what she likes with her devotion and who she gives it to?"

Minako thought for a bit and sighed as she sipped her wine again as she looked away. She couldn't argue with Karin's logic. Karin was right, she didn't _force_ Rei to make that promise. If anything, she tried to _run away_ from Rei at that moment. Rei made that promise all on her own.

"So, back to my question," Karin contined, "Why do you feel guilty?"

"Because," Minako began. She pondered the question for a bit, "I guess…because I can't do the same…I can't give her what she wants. I thought about breaking up with her, but…"

"'But'?" Karin encouraged gently.

"…I can't," Minako said softly as she shook her head, "I don't want to lose her. I really like her…a lot."

As Karin looked at Minako, she could see the conflict in her cobalt eyes, see that Minako's feelings for the archer were much more than she led on, possibly even more than even _Minako_ wanted to admit to _herself_. Minako might not have known it yet, but Karin could see that maybe… _just_ maybe…Minako was _finally_ allowing someone to break through to her. She began to suspect that the lacking physical aspects of their relationship was actually _forcing_ Minako to _think_ and _talk_ about her feelings rather than avoid them or find other ways to express them. What surprised her most was how much Minako was actually _thinking_ and _talking candidly_ about her emotional struggle.

"I was actually thinking…," Minako began hesitantly. She took a big gulp of wine before continuing, "Maybe I…I should _at least_ try…to be her girlfriend."

To say that Karin was floored would be an understatement. Not only was Minako _still with_ Rei in spite of the 'kiss of death' question, she wanted to _continue_ staying with her and possibly even _commit_ to her!

But Karin knew Minako too well and she became skeptical about Minako's train of thought, "Sweetie, I know you're not really into the whole 'girlfriend' thing. So why now?"

"…Because she wants it," Minako replied quietly, "Because it's not fair to her."

"Oh, Mina-chan," Karin said as she shook her head, "You being her girlfriend wouldn't make it fair either."

Minako looked up at Karin with confusion, "Why? What do you mean?"

"I mean it's obvious you're not ready since you're still struggling with it," Karin explained, "Deciding to commit to someone shouldn't be something you feel _obligated_ to do or _guilted_ _into_ doing. It should be something you _want_ to do, without question. It wouldn't be fair to you and _especially_ not to Hino-san. If you did that to _me_ , I would feel horrible like I _coerced_ you into it. _Especially_ if you weren't ready."

Minako's brow furrowed as she processed Karin's words, "Think of it this way," she continued, "What if Hino-san let you have sex with her just because she knew you wanted it and she absolutely wasn't ready? Would you be ok with that?"

Minako's azure eyes shimmered with worry and concern and Karin could tell from her expression that she was starting to make sense to the gorgeous blonde.

"I…I would _never_ want that," Minako said softly. She turned her gaze down towards the table guiltily. Karin leaned forward and brought her hand up below Minako's chin, lifting her head so their eyes met.

"Hey, there's nothing to be sad about," Karin smiled comfortingly, "You have a big heart, sweetie, it makes sense that you'd want to do that for her."

Karin retracted her hand and leaned back in her chair, smiling playfully, "Trust me, I know how much you don't do commitment. She must really mean a lot to you for you to even _consider_ that."

Minako blushed. She smiled softly as she reached up to touch her necklace, "Mmn, she does," Her face fell as she sighed, "So what do I do, Karin-chan?" she asked.

"Hmmm, hard to say," Karin replied with a shrug, "Say you two stay together and nothing changes, she still can't be intimate physically. I know how affectionate you are, would you still want to be with her if you couldn't go any farther than what you have now?"

Minako thought about it for a bit before she replied, "I mean…it would be _really fucking_ hard, but…I just really like _being_ with her. She makes me feel…safe."

Karin smiled. Though Minako didn't say it outright, she knew what the answer was, "So you don't want to commit right now, but you feel guilty about her commitment to you because you can't give it back, am I right?"

"M-Mmn," Minako nodded slowly as she took in Karin's words.

"And, from what it sounds like," Karin continued, "You want to be with her, physically or not, so breaking up is off the table, right?"

"Mmn," Minako nodded firmly.

"Then I don't think you have to do _anything_ , sweetie," Karin concluded, "Hino-san sounds like an intelligent person. And she's a big girl, she can make her own decisions. It seems like she's ok committing to you because she wants to be with you. And since you want to be with her too, then it works out. Maybe just trust her when she says she's ok with it? And, who knows? You might want to commit later or you might _never_ be ready. But, either way, it doesn't look like you _have_ to commit to be together. Maybe just enjoy _being_ _with_ her? Otherwise you're going to miss out because you're worried about something that's of no consequence right now."

She leaned forward and gently nudged Minako's chin with her knuckles, "Just be yourself, sweetie," she smirked, "I mean, isn't that what got her in the first place?"

Minako blushed and nodded her head shyly as she giggled. She picked up her glass and finished her wine. When she set down her glass, a sincere smile pulled at her lips and her sapphire eyes twinkled with relief, "You're right, Karin-chan. You're _so_ right."

"I know," Karin said with a smirk as she winked.

Minako giggled as she reached for her friend's hand and squeezed it endearingly, "Thanks."

"Always," Karin said as she turned her hand over to squeeze Minako's hand in return, "It's good to see you smiling. Worrying doesn't suit you at all."

She finished her glass of wine and set it on the table, "I'm really happy for you, Mina-chan," she said sincerely, "I'm glad Hino-san, makes you happy."

She gently released Minako's hand and leaned back to breathe in the fresh, night air, "Love's a bitch, Mina-chan," she mused as she stared off into the horizon. She shrugged, "But the heart wants what it wants, right?," she said matter-of-factly, "The best we can ask for is to not have any regrets."

"Mmn," Minako nodded with a smile, "Hey, Karin-chan?" she began as she leaned forward.

"Hmm?," Karin replied as she turned to look at the gorgeous blonde.

Minako took a deep breath and averted her gaze to her hands. She smiled meekly and spoke softly, "I love you, Karin-chan. I didn't know how lucky I was to have been with you back then. And now, I'm just _so_ grateful to have you as a friend. You and Azumi-chan mean so much to me. I'm really happy for both of you and that you're in my life."

Karin's eyes softened fondly when she heard Minako's words. For someone who mostly avoided her emotions, Karin knew how much it must have taken Minako to be able to say that. She chuckled softly as she got up from her seat.

 _Hino-san, what have you done to our Mina-chan?,_ Karin thought amusingly to himself, _Whatever it is, I hope you keep it up._

* * *

Minako heard Karin chuckle and began to blush from embarrassment. She heard Karin's chair scrape against the floor and felt a pair of warm arms wrap around her,

"Thanks, Mina-chan," Karin whispered in her ear, "It means a lot to hear you say that. I love you, too, and I know Azumi love you also."

Minako smiled as she brought her hand up to rest on Karin's forearm. They stayed that way for a moment, until they heard the sliding glass door open and Karin and Minako felt someone wrap their arms around both of them,

"I take it everything's ok now?," Azumi asked gently. Karin looked to Minako for a response. Minako brought her hand up in a 'V for Victory' sign and winked at Azumi.

"Yeah, everything's good," Minako replied sincerely.

"I'm glad," Azumi said as she hugged her wife and friend tighter.

"A GROUP HUG AND YOU DIDN'T INVITE MEEEEE?!" Usagi's high-pitched voice startled the three women out of their embrace. They turned towards the door to see Usagi with her lower-lip quivering and tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Mou, Usa-neechan!," Minako rolled her eyes. She quickly got up and went to Usagi and pulled her into a big hug as the older twin burst into tears, "Mataku," Minako giggled, "Usa-neechan's such a crybaby."

"Uh-huh!," Karin laughed in agreement as she came around and wrapped her arms around the twins.

"Meanies!," Usagi pouted.

"Mou, Usagi-chan," Azumi giggled as she came up to hug the twins also, "We tease because we love you."

Usagi continued to sob into Minako's shoulder until Azumi spoke up, "Oh, I just remembered! I forgot I got a tiramisu cake for dessert. It's still in the fridge."

"WHAT?! CAKE?!," Usagi exclaimed. She magically stopped sobbing and broke out of the group hug to tear back into the house towards the kitchen. The three women left on the patio laughed at Usagi's antics.

"C'mon, it's getting cold. Let's go back inside and watch one of the movies Mina-chan brought," Karin said as she walked back into the house, "Plus, I want to have some cake too before Usagi-chan inhales it all!"

"Mmn!," Minako and Azumi nodded as they giggled and followed Karin back inside.

* * *

 **Author Note:** We're slowly peeling back the layers that is Minako.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	27. Chapter 27

**Author Note:** When I started this story two years ago, I already had quite a number of chapters completed or partially completed, especially the more key chapters, before I even started to publish. These became quite handy when it did come time to publish. Now, after returned from such a long sabbatical from writing, I find that I depend on them to re-orient myself to my characters. I imagine the ones I will be using for later chapters will also serve me well as this story progresses.

With that being said, it's been a very long time (years!) since I've had to write an entire chapter from scratch…until now.

 **-kohai** = [Japanese] roughly translates to "junior", "protégé", or someone with less experience in an organization

 **Naginata** = [Japanese] a pole weapon consisting of a blade fitted to the end of a long shaft, usually a weapon most associated with female warriors of the Japanese noble class during the time of samurai

 **Okage** = [Japanese] help, support, aid, favor.

 **Ojiisan** = [Japanese] grandfather

I don't own Sailor Moon, Mai-HiME, or any brand names and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Obara, M. (2004). _Mai-HiME_. Suginami, Tokyo, Japan: Sunrise Inc.

The Ducati brand belongs to the Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (cited June 2015). The brand is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

The Ducati Desmocross concept belongs to Oberdan Bezzi. The concept is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

The 'Okage Foundation' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 27:**

 _ **vvvvrrrrOOOOOOOMMMM!...vvvvrrrrOOOOOOOMMMM!**_

The sound of two motocross motorcycles speeding through a moderately-sized, outdoor, dirt-covered arena echoed off the metal bleachers that line one side of the track. As they passed, the wind from their speed caused silky, raven and wavy, teal hair to flutter gracefully as Rei and Michiru watched from only a handful of rows away from the edge of the track.

The racers appeared to be neck-and-neck with each other as they rode down the straight and headed into the last curve of the track. As the racers entered the turn, the taller racer, who was closest to the inside, wearing a royal blue helmet, black, armored bodysuit, and riding a royal blue bike, was forced into the curve first. In order for the bike to stay on the track, the racer cut across the curve and took the wider turn.

The smaller racer, wearing a black, armored body suit, black helmet with red racing stripes, and riding a silver bike with yellow accents, made a daring move by slowing just enough to trail behind the taller racer then cutting hard from the outside towards the inside of the curve. Once inside the curve, the smaller rider's bike lurched forward as it went full throttle, passing the taller rider.

Once the smaller rider was past the competition, the rider stood up and expertly engaged the clutch while jerking the handlebars back, causing the front wheel to come off the ground into a wheelie. Seconds passed before the rider expertly brough the front wheel back down to earth and hunched low to take the last two hills before the finish line.

* * *

As the smaller rider confidently rode over the first hill and became airborne, the rider noticed the taller racer had caught up along side and expertly scrubbed the jump by whipping the bike to obtain a lower trajectory. The taller racer landed first, sped towards the finish line, and cross it just seconds before the smaller rider.

Once both riders had slowed and came to a halt, facing the two elegant women in the stands, they turned off the ignition on the bikes, effectly silencing the roaring engines. The taller rider lifted the goggles so they rested at the top of the royal-blue helmet and grabbed both sides to pull it off,

"That was a nice move, cutting to the inside like that," Haruka said proudly as she brought the helmet to rest on her bike and ran a gloved hand through her sandy-blonde hair. She looked towards the smaller racer who was removing the goggles and pulling off the black racing helmet.

The smaller rider, who was easily a head shorter than Rei, pulled the helmet off to reveal a young girl, no older than eleven years of age. Her thick, dark-blue hair fell half-way down her slender back and she brought a gloved hand up to comb through it, trying to smooth it out. She tucking the helmet securely under her other arm,

"Yeah, but I still lost," the young woman replied with a slight grimace. Her deep, emerald-green eyes and ice-blue aura reflected disappointment.

"That wheelie and the air you got on the last double cost you," Rei said matter-of-factly. She was also wearing a black, armored bodysuit, her flame-red helmet sitting next to her.

"I thought I _had_ her, though!," the young blunette replied indignantly as she pouted.

Haruka shook her head and brought a hand up to rest on the younger woman's shoulder, "Never celebrate a victory _before_ it happens, Kuga-kohai."

"Yes, Tenoh-sempai," Kuga Natsuki replied obediently with a nod.

 _ **…**_ _ **clapclapclapclap!…**_

Soft clapping could be heard from the stands and they all turned towards the noise to find a young brunette in a middle-school uniform sitting at the very top of the bleachers, clapping happily.

"Whose that?," Haruka asked curiously as she squinted and shaded her eyes to try and make out the person clapping.

"Ara, a fan," Michiru giggled sweetly with a knowing smile. She was wearing a flowing, light-blue, ankle-length, summer dress that had butterfly sleeves and a modest v-neck.

"Mmn, a fan of Natsuki-kohai it seems," Rei replied teasingly with a smirk as she read the lilac aura coming of the young girl.

"Isn't she one of Setsuna's students? The beginner naginata class?," Haruka questioned aloud as she looked at the young brunette.

Natsuki blushed heavily, her emerald gaze quickly looking to the ground, "S-She's just a friend in my dorm who h-happens to go to the same s-school as me, that's all," she stuttered.

Rei, Michiru, and Haruka looked at each other knowingly before Haruka smirked and reached over to pulled Natsuki into a friendly headlock, startling the smaller woman,

"O-Oi, Tenoh-sempai!," Natsuki said with slight annoyance caused by embarassment.

"Well, since I was able to beat you on the double, why don't we practice your scrubbing so you can have a faster lap-time then we'll do a final four-lap scrimmage so you can put it to practice" Haruka said playfully. She gestured her head towards the girl at the top of the stands, "Maybe now that you know you have an audience, you won't be so cocky."

"M-Mmn," Natsuki replied with a small nod, embarrassed by her friend's enthusiastic support and the attention she was getting from her sempais for it.

Haruka looked to Rei, "Want to join us, Rei?"

"Not yet," Rei replied casually as she shook her head and crossed her legs, "I'll keep Michiru company while you work on that. I'll jump in for the scrimmage later."

"Alright, I'll let you know when we're ready," Haruka said as she put the helmet and goggles back on and turned on her bike.

 _ **vvvvrrrrOOOOOOOMMMM!**_

She motioned for Natsuki to follow as she steered the loud machinery back to the two hills near the finish line on the opposite side of the track.

* * *

Natsuki twisted her hair up before replacing the helmet snugly on her head. Before she put her goggles back on, she paused as a thought came to her,

"Hey, Rei-sempai," Natsuki asked through her helmet, getting Rei's attention, "Were you planning on going to the gala tomorrow?"

* * *

The gala that Natsuki was referring to was one of the two annual fundraising events for the Okage Foundation, a charity that Haruka and Michiru co-founded two years ago that catered to troubled and orphaned youth to help them build self-esteem through positive after-school and weekend sports and fine art activities. Using their fame and connections, the two were able to build a sizeable establishment to house the juveniles and provide facilities for such activities, part of which included the arena in which they were currently sitting.

The two were also able to rope some of their famous friends like Rei into volunteering as either a teacher, coach, and/or mentor to these young minors and be a role model to encourage them. Unable to deny her 'sisters's request for help, or turn down an opportunity that would support kids, Rei gladly did what she could for the foundation when she was available.

When Kuga Natsuki was brought to the facility as one of their first minors, she was already a ward of the state and a terrible truant. She was cold, aloof, defensive, and had already seen her share of battles on the streets. The archer and the young blunette immediately gravitated towards each other as kindred spirits, having both tragically lost their mothers at a young age and fathers who wanted almost nothing to do with them. Since Rei was often busy with work, school, or competitions, she never officially became Natsuki's mentor. But, whenever she came to volunteer, she always made a point to spend time with the young girl, who slowly began opening up over the years. She started making friends, began attending school again, and was mostly passing her classes even though she had to be held back a year due to her extensive absences. Rei couldn't have been prouder of the young woman.

* * *

Rei could see Natsuki's ice-blue aura glowing with Hope as her pleading emerald-eyes looked intently at her, waiting for an answer. As part of the gala, donors could sponsor one or more of the minors to attend so they could experience and enjoy a formal night out with their mentors and friends. It was practically the event of the year for them.

Rei's face softened, knowing what Natsuki was really trying to ask, "Mmn," she nodded firmly in reply, "I'll sponsor you."

Natsuki's emeralds lit up gleefully and, though they couldn't see her smile due to the helmet, Rei could tell through her aura that the young woman was elated, "Score!," she exclaimed, "Thanks, Rei-sempai!"

"Sure," Rei smirked as she nodded to the small rider. The young woman secured her goggles, over her eyes and started her bike.

 _ **vvvvrrrrOOOOOOOMMMM!**_

With expertise, Natsuki rode off happily towards the tall, racecar driver who was waiting for her.

* * *

Rei looked over her shoulder towards the young brunette at the top of the stands, who was busy watching the blunette on the track fondly with her wine-colored eyes.

"It would be easier for me to put the young woman down as your second beneficiary if I had a name," Michiru's said with a smile as she kept her gaze on the track, already predicting what Rei was planning.

"I'm sure it would be," Rei replied with a smirk. She closed her eyes and focused on the young brunette briefly, "Fujino Shizuru."

"Noted," Michiru stated with a nod.

"Add Nobuo-san to the guest list also," Rei said as she turned back around to watch her best friend and unofficial mentee run some drills, "I'll need him to keep those pretentious, jackass donors at bay."

"Ara, language, Rei," Michiru chided gently as she shook her head.

"S-Sorry," Rei replied as she blushed slightly, her gaze going to the ground guiltily.

Michiru giggled sweetly as they continued to watch the two racers on the track. They sat in comfortable silence until Rei spoke up, "So, how was the honeymoon?," she asked as she turned her lavender eyes towards the stunning artist.

"It was wonderful," Michiru replied absently but with content. She turned and Rei's violets were met with solemn, teal-colored orbs, "But that's not what you wanted to talk about."

Rei could see her 'older sister's teal-colored aura flickering with Concern and knew Michiru's intuition had struck again. She turned her gaze to the ground, unable to hold Michiru's searching gaze,

"No," Rei replied with a quiet, heavy sigh, "No, it's not."

"What's on your mind, Rei?," Michiru probed gently.

"You don't already know?," Rei asked with a small smirk and raised eyebrow as she gave the artist a sidelong glance, attempting to lighten the mood.

"I have a hunch, of course," Michiru replied, her sweet voice carrying a worried undertone, undeterred by Rei's teasing, "But this is _your_ conversation. Perhaps you could start us off?"

Rei pursed her lips as her brow furrowed slightly. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her lavender eyes were trained on her hands as she fiddled nervously with her riding gloves, "I just don't know what to do, Michiru," she said, her voice filled with hopelessness.

"About Mina-chan," Michiru stated more than questioned.

"Mmn," Rei nodded softly. Due to her heightened intuition, it didn't usually take much for Michiru to catch on to whatever was going on. The archer was always grateful for it, not having to explain herself before getting down to the issue at hand. Thought it didn't make more difficult conversations any easier, she appreciated the efficiency of it, being able to tackle a problem head-on without having to set the scene or beat around the bush first.

"I see," Michiru replied with a knowing nod. She sat in silence for a bit before turning her teal-colored eyes towards the track with a distant gaze. Thought it appeared as if she were watching the two racers, her mind was far from it.

Rei looked towards the artist with concern, sensing a hint of Apprehension in her teal aura, "You ok, Michiru?"

"Mmn," Michiru replied with a nod. After a brief moment, she tenatively scooted closer to Rei so they were side-by-side and slowly brought her arm to wrap around her, pulling her into a gentle side-hug. She rested her head carefully on the smaller woman's shoulder.

Rei began feeling traces of Worry within the teal strands as they flowed into her through their contact, "Hey, I'm ok, Michiru," she said gently as she sat up a bit, trying to comfort the taller woman with her words, "I mean, I'm just trying to figure stuff out, that's all. There's no need to be worried about-."

"You misunderstand, Rei," Michiru said softly, interrupting Rei's words, "It's not for you that I'm doing this."

Rei blinked in confusion as she processed Michiru's words, "What do you mean?"

Michiru smiled softly, "People are creatures of habit, pursuing desirable outcomes and avoiding less desirable ones. As we grow and learn, we tend to follow and repeat the patterns that provide those desired outcomes and avoid the ones that provide less desireable outcomes. At times, it's for the sake of those desired outcomes that we follow certain patterns, no matter how flawed they may be, as long as they work."

She let out a heavy sigh as she held Rei closer, "I will never forget that day you collapsed at school and Ojiisan brought you back to the shrine to recover," she whispered, referring to Rei's grandfather in the manner she usually did, "I sat by your bedside all that day and the next, praying that you would be ok and wake up."

"Mmn, Grandpa told me about that," Rei replied softly as she tilted her head to gently rest her cheek on Michiru's head, as if trying to comfort the older woman. She was still trying to understand where Michiru was going with this and how it related to her concerns with Minako.

"When Ojiisan explained to us that it was caused by someone coming into contact with you and your abilities not being able to take it," Michiru continued, "I knew I never wanted to see that happen to you again, much less be the one to cause it."

She lifted her head from Rei's shoulder to look at the younger woman, her mature, teal eyes meeting intense violets, "It's hard to break an old habit, especially when it is driven by fear."

She gently released Rei and brought her hand up to tuck a stray, raven-colored strand of hair behind the younger woman's ear. She smiled endearingly, "Growing up, I accepted it as fact that I would never be able to hold you or show you how much I love you outside of only brief and minimal contact. For fifteen years, I believed it in my heart to be true and that it was for your sake."

She giggled sweetly, "And on the happiest day of my life, you gave me the greatest gift I could have _never_ imagined. You shattered my reality, shined a light on my fears…and I was able to hold my 'little sister' for the first time. Even now, it's still hard to believe that it happened."

She rested her hand on Rei's back, rubbing it in small circles, "I know I still have pieces of that long-held, misguided fear. After so many years, they will not go away anytime soon. But, with time, I'm sure they will. So, you see, it's not for you that I hugged you just now. It was for me…to change a pattern."

Michiru could see in Rei's intense, amethyst eyes that she was beginning to understand what she was trying to tell her. She squeezed Rei's shoulder gently before turning back to look towards the track, bringing her hands together and folding them in her lap,

"I'm certain that I don't know much more about Mina-chan's past than you do," she said apologetically, knowing the archer was looking for solid answers she couldn't provide, "Even if I did, it wouldn't be my story to tell. All I can say about Mina-chan is that she can be…guarded…in her own way with others and perhaps moreso with herself. There is definitely more to her than meets the eye. I get the sense she tends to shy away from commitment and is afraid of abandonment. I would venture to say they are perhaps two sides of the same coin, one she herself may not truly understand or _is even ready_ to understand yet. If that is the case, it may be even harder for her to see it and have a reason to change her pattern."

They sat in silence for a moment, allowing the echoing sounds of the motorcycles to fill the space between them before Michiru spoke,

"If you truly love her as much as I perceive you do, I'm sure it will give her the strength and desire to change her pattern," she said encouragingly.

Rei shook her head and smirked, half-amused and half-astonished, _Damn Michiru and her intuition._

"But it may be a long and difficult road," Michiru cautioned. She turned her head towards the archer, her teal eyes searching Rei's lavenders, "Are you prepared for that?"

Rei looked back at her 'older sister' with determination and conviction. She nodded firmly, "Whatever it takes."

"Then everything will work out in the end," Michiru replied sweetly as she smiled.

Rei couldn't help but smile back sincerely at the artist. She reached over and squeezed Michiru's hand affectionately, "Thanks, Michiru," she said, feeling much lighter and more at ease than when they started the conversation.

"Of course," Michiru nodded kindly towards her. Content with knowing that Rei seemed to feel better, she was about to return her gaze to the track when she noticed the younger woman lifting her hand from her lap.

* * *

Rei brought Michiru's arm up and over her head, guiding the older woman's hand so that it came to rest on her shoulder. She could feel Michiru hesitate at first, her aura rippling with small strands of Nervousness and Anxiety, before the older woman allowed herself to relax and let Rei do what she wanted.

Once Rei was within Michiru's embrace, she brought her knees up to her chest, curling up into the artist, snuggling close. She brought her head to rest on the older woman's shoulder, enjoying her comforting, teal aura. Rei had never noticed before…never had the opportunity, really…that it had a quiet, rhythmic hum to it. It was soothing, almost like listening to the sound of distant ocean waves gently brushing the shore.

"Ara," Michiru said quietly with a hint of teasing once Rei had settled. She pulled her closer, bringing her hand from Rei's shoulder down to rub the young archer's arm comfortingly, "I never knew Rei was such a cuddle-bug."

"Me neither until recently," Rei chuckled amusingly. She closed her eyes and sighed contently, "I love you, Mimi. It makes me happy to be close to you like this. I really like it."

Tears began to form in Michiru's eyes. It had been _years_ since Rei called her by that name. It was one she used to refer to Michiru when her young tongue was unable to pronounce her full name properly. She almost couldn't remember the last time she heard Rei say it.

 _Ara, Mina-chan, what have you done to our Reiko?,_ Michiru thought to herself amusingly. A soft smile pulled at her lips as she brought her hand up from Rei's arm to pet her head lovingly. She placed a gentle kiss on the top of Rei's head before turning to rest her cheek on the spot, _Whatever it is…thank you._

* * *

"Ooooiii, Rei-sempaiii!," The sound of Natsuki's voice in the distance calling Rei's name made her open her eyes and lift her head to find her unofficial mentee. She was at the starting line of the track with Haruka, waving her arm to get Rei's attention, "We're going to start the scrimmage if you want to join!"

"Alright, I'm coming!," Rei called back. She turned her gaze towards her 'older sister', who smiled warmly in return,

"Pin Haruka against the wall before the last curve so she has to slow down and let you pass before taking the turn. Brake check Kuga-san before she's able to block pass you while you're in it," Michiru said sweetly before she gave Rei an endearing squeeze and released her, "Have fun and be safe."

Rei smirked and nodded as she stood up. She collected her gloves, helmet, and goggles and began stepping over the bleachers towards a flame-red Ducati Desmocross that was parked close to the bleachers and away from the main track. She made a mental note to text Minako later about her updated plans for tomorrow.

* * *

 **Author Note:** I know Natsuki usually rides a dark-blue Ducati DRIII, but since this would be pre-Mai-HiME, she wouldn't have it. So, instead, I had her bike be more like her Child, Duran. But the nod to her character is still there through Rei's bike. I'd like to think Natsuki would be drawn to a Ducati later in life due to her mentor's tastes.

I also know Sailor Pluto actually wields a key-shape staff, but I figured if she knows how to handle that, she'd be a great teacher for Shizuru and maybe even her niece Hotaru in this alternate universe since she eventually masters her glaive, which is pretty similar to a naginata...and here I go again meshing my dream universe with the universe of actual animes/mangas. ^_^

As I mentioned in the A/Ns of Chapter 5, I'm very detail-oriented and like when elements in a story have meaning or purpose ;)

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	28. Chapter 28

**Author Note:** You ever watch a television series and feel like an episode is more of a filler to get from one part of the story to another but some setup needs to happen? Well, that's how I feel about this chapter but I hope it holds you over =P::: I thought about splitting it into two chapters, but since the events are almost happening at the same time, I figured it would make sense just to keep them together. Perhaps once Chapter 29 is done I might rearrange, not sure...have to write Chapter 29 first ;)

 **Qipao** = [Mandarin Chinese] A body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women, also known as a 'cheongsam'.

 **Hakken** = [Japanese] discovery

 **Awa** = [Japanese] foam

I don't own Sailor Moon, Mai-HiME, any brand names, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Obara, M. (2004). _Mai-HiME_. Suginami, Tokyo, Japan: Sunrise Inc.

Alexander, J. and Steinberg, B. (2012). _Give Your Heart A Break_ [Recorded by Demi Lovato]. On Unbroken [CD], Burbank, California: Hollywood Records.

Caillat, C., Fagan, T., and Reeves, J. (2009). _Out Of My Mind_ [Recorded by Colbie Caillat]. On Breakthrough – Deluxe Edition [CD], Santa Monica, California: Universal Republic Records.

Mercedes-Benz is a division of, and belongs to, the Daimler AG Corporation (cited June, 2015). The brand is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

The 'Okage Foundation' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 28:**

 _ **\- On Sunday, you went home alone. There were tears in your eyes.**_ _**I called your cell phone, my love,**_ _**but you did not reply. -**_

The sound of a popular pop song filled the cabin of a certain black Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard but didn't reach the ears of a certain raven-haired archer who was staring out the window at the passing cityscape.

Rei was wearing red heels and a flattering, red, short-sleeved qipao that went down to her shins and had a slit that came up just past her knees. Gold embroidery accented her dress and danced in the setting light that shined through the car window as they drove to the gala.

She turned her attention away from the window for a moment to pull her phone from her purse and flip it open: No messages. She sighed dejectedly as she shut her phone and tossed it casually back into her purse to return her rare, amethyst gaze out the window.

She had stayed with Haruka and Michiru after Natsuki's track lessons to help with last-minute logistics for the gala and decided not to disturb Minako by texting her so late at night regarding her plans for today. Instead, she texted the gorgeous blonde in the late morning, knowing how much Minako liked to sleep-in, to let her know that she would only be available before the evening to hang out as she would be going to the Okage Foundation gala as a favor to her unofficial mentee.

At first, she thought Minako had just not gotten the mesage yet. She tried to keep herself busy by running errands, going to the gym, and cleaning her place. As the day went on to the early afternoon, Rei started to get a little anxious. She decided to call, but was only met by Minako's bubbly voice message.

Well, Minako _did_ mention that she would be hanging out with her sister and friends until all hours of the night. Perhaps they stayed up for quite some time and she was exhausted and resting for the day?

 _Yeah, that was probably what happened,_ Rei tried to convince herself.

She continued to keep herself occupied with miscellaneous tasks, showered, and got ready for the evening event. Nobuo picked her up and they were currently on their way to the gala. It was now 6:45pm and the archer _still_ hadn't heard from the woman who was now consuming her every restless thought.

What if there was something wrong with Minako's phone and she didn't get her text? What if she was upset because she thought Rei blew her off? She couldn't bear the thought of hurting or disappointing Minako. Or worse…what if something happened to Minako? What if she was hurt somewhere and couldn't call for help?

To some extent, Rei knew that these thoughts were silly…but it was also unlike Minako to not contact her back. This fact continued to lead her thoughts down a trail she was too afraid to let her heart entertain: What if Minako _did_ got her message and just… _chose_ to ignore it? What if she had taken the time away from Rei to think about what happened the other night and it scared her enough to make her… _want_ to avoid Rei? In Minako's fragile, emotional state, what if this way her way of…running?

Rei reluctantly turned back to her purse, pulled her phone out, and flipped it open for the umpteenth time: Still no messages or calls. She sighed longingly, _Where are you, Mina?_

She shook her head abruptly, shut the phone loudly, and stuffed it back into her purse. _Kami-sama…what's wrong with me?,_ Rei thought to herself as she sighed hopelessly. Having grown up learning meditation and martial arts from her grandpa, self-discipline was a principle she lived by…that is until she met a certain gorgeous blonde who turned her world upside-down. She always saw addictions such as alcoholism or drug-use as a sign of weakness…she never knew it was possible to become addicited to some _one_ rather than some _thing_ , _How can someone affect me this much? How can I…_ _need_ _someone so much?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a strong and heavy sensation coming from the front of the car. She sighed in frustration, _Damn Nobuo-san and his attention to detail! He must have noticed me checking my phone this whole time_. She sometimes wondered if her bodyguard harbored secret abilities of his own. She cleared her throat and sat up straighter,

"Don't worry, Nobuo-san," she said, attempting to insert a confidence in her voice she didn't feel she had, "I'm-

"I know, Rei-sama," Nobuo replied knowingly as he kept his eyes on the road, "You're fine. You always are."

Rei smirked as she turned to the window again. They continued to drive in silence, save the music that continued to play from the radio.

* * *

Nobuo looked briefly in the rearview mirror at his young charge with concern before returning his gaze to the road. He always found it uncanny how she always seemed to know how he was feeling.

He knew something was up, could see the worry in her face every time she looked to her phone. But he also knew it wasn't his place to pry. He could see she didn't want him to either, wanting to deal with whatever it was on her own, in her own way. Rei could be stubborn when it came to people worrying about her.

Though she appeared standoff-ish with most of the world, underneath that façade was a caring, loyal, and loving person. She was more emotionally mature than most people he knew twice her age and had no problems with wearing her heart on her sleeve when it came to those she considered important to her, almost as if she feared if she didn't let them know how much she cared about them, she may not get another chance. He often wondered if it was because she lost her mother at such a young age.

Yes, they _did_ have an understanding. Once Rei finally came around to trusting him, not many words were needed between them. Though Nobuo had a duty to protect her as an employee of her father's company, he mostly treated her like an equal, respected her privacy, and gave her the space to just be without judgement. He knew if she needed him, she would come to him. She always had. They were quite similar actually: deeply loyal, stubborn, focused, independent, determined, with a fiery strength of character, and showing unwavering devotion and care towards those closest to them. Perhaps that's why they got along so well.

The only difference was Rei was colder in some ways. He knew she had to be, was _made_ to be, given her social position. If Nobuo ever had a daughter, he hoped she would be like Rei. If he ever had a sister, he imagined she would be someone similar to Rei. Since he was contently single and an only child, he saw Rei as such. Nothing more, nothing less.

 _I wish there was something I could do for you, Rei-sama,_ Nobuo thought as he sighed quietly to himself.

* * *

 _Thanks, Nobuo-san,_ Rei thought to herself. She could sense Concern and Worry in his aura but knew he wouldn't ask. She always appreciated that he knew exactly how to deal with her and allowed her to be comfortable just…being. If she needed him, she knew she could turn to him. She always had. Sometimes, she wished Nobuo was her father or even her older brother. Since he was neither, she saw him as a dear and trusted friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

* * *

"Hey, Nobuo-san?," Rei said after a moment as a thought came to her. Nobuo looked up at her through the rearview mirror curiously, "Have you ever been in love?"

Nobuo's chocolate-eyes turned serious, "Once, Rei-sama," he said quietly, "a very long time ago." He turned his gaze towards the road and continued driving.

"Mmn," Rei replied. She could tell from his white aura that he didn't want to get into it. She turned to look out the window again, "I think…I think I've fallen in love with Mina."

Nobuo casually looked up at his young charge again as she sighed, "But she…she's so…she can't…"

Rei sighed again, allowing the sentence to be left unsaid. She turned and hung her head slightly, her intense lavenders staring down at her hands in her lap, "I guess I'm just worried. I haven't heard from her since I last saw her yesterday morning. She's usually really good about getting back to me."

Nobuo's eyes turned to concern before he returned them to look towards the road "Aino-san seems to care about you a lot from what I could tell," he said comfortingly as he took a right down a busy street, "Perhaps something came up."

"I thought about that, too," Rei said, her voice filled with concern. She shook her head slightly, "I don't know…I'm just being silly."

Nobuo looked up at his young charge. As his kind gaze took in the image of how distraught Rei was, he made a decision right then, "Rei-sama, it's my duty to use any and all means within my power to protect you and keep you safe from harm." He returned his eyes to the road as a smirk came to his lips, "If that means taking on another charge to ensure the safety of your peace of mind and emotional well-being…then so be it."

Rei's rare, violet eyes looked back towards her bodyguard with astonishment as she began to comprehend what her bodyguard was saying, "W-What? N-No, Nobuo-san, it's ok. You don't have to-,"

"I'll report back once I have information, it shouldn't take long," Nobuo said confidently, his dark-brown eyes reflecting determination. He pulled into a u-shaped driveway up to the entrance of a lavish, event hall. The name 'Hakken' was printed in large, gold letters on the side of the building.

Once Nobuo brought the car to a stop, he went around and opened the door for his young charge. As Rei gracefully stepped out of the vehicle, she shook her head hopelessly, "Mataku, Nobuo-san," she said with a huff, "You're so stubborn."

"Takes one to know one, Rei-sama," he quipped back under his breath as he shut the door behind her.

Rei smirked as she playfully pushed Nobuo with one hand, causing him to take a step back as he let out a low, amused chuckle. A small smile came to her lips as she looked up at her friend and bodyguard, "Thank you…Nobuo-san."

"My pleasure, Rei-sama," Nobuo replied back sincerely.

"Just…don't go overboard or do anything stalker-ish or creepy, alright?," Rei said in a clarifying tone as she eyed Nobuo skeptically, "I just want to know that she's ok, that's all."

"I wouldn't _dream_ of it, Rei-sama," Nobuo said in an innocence tone with a hint of sarcasm as he smirked at his young charge.

Rei rolled her eyes at him as he let out a low chuckle. She flicked her hair with her hand and crossed her arms, "What am I going to do with you?"

Nobuo chuckled quietly to himself as he saw a small smirk pull at the corner of Rei's lips, "Sorry, Rei-sama, _that_ I can't help you with."

"Long time, no see," a low, husky voice called to them. Rei and Nobuo turned to see Haruka coming down the stairs of the entrance to greet them. She was wearing a royal-blue suit jacket with black velvet lapels, a white button-up, royal-blue bowtie, and black slacks.

"Not long enough," Rei replied snarkily with a smirk.

"Oooh, someone's feisty today," Haruka sang playfully with a smirk, "But who was talking to you, asshole?" She went to Nobuo and patted him on the back jovially, "It's good to see you, big guy. It's been a while."

"Likewise, Haruka-sama," Nobuo nodded with a kind smile. He turned to Rei, "Please go on ahead with Haruka-sama to the gala. I'll be in once I've parked the car and taken care of some business."

"Mmn," Rei replied with a nod, "Don't take _too_ long."

"Yes, Rei-sama," Nobuo replied with a nod, knowing how much his young charge _hated_ socializing with the conceited, pompous aristocrats that usually attended these events. He went around to the driver-seat as Rei and Haruka began ascending the steps to the event.

* * *

Nobuo closed the driver-door of the Mercedes and paused for a bit to ensure his young charge and her best friend walk into the facility safely.

 _I wish you were here to see her,_ Nobuo thought fondly. A sad smile forming on his lips, _She's growing up_ _so_ _fast. It's amazing how much like you she is._

He let out a heavy sigh, filled with longing, _I miss you…Risa-chan._

He cleared his throat softly, forcing back his emotions, as he put the car in gear and drove it towards the parking garage in the back.

* * *

 _ **\- You called me on the phone today,**_ _ **said those words you always say, and I cried.**_ _**I've gotta figure out what's going on**_ _**inside this head of mine. I try.**_ _**I'm going crazy thinkin' 'bout the way**_ _**I shouldn't have left it all behind.**_ _ **But, now, I'm gone and somethings wrong.**_ _ **I changed my mind.I'm so in love with you.**_ _ **I don't know what to do this time.**_ _ **And though you're out of sight,**_ _ **you're never ever out of my mind.**_ _ **I saw you just the other day.**_ _**Those feelings never went away,and I smiled -**_

 _ **Jingle Jingle!**_

The high-pitch ringing of a door chime cut through the lulling beats of the music that played from the overhead speakers.

"Good evening, welcome to Awa Laundromat!," A cheerful male voice called from a back room. A tall, baby-faced man with short, blonde hair emerged soon after and walked up to the service counter. His head was tilted downwards as he adjusted and tied the apron he had over his dress shirt and faded jeans, "Sorry for the inconvenience, our detergent vending machine is broken today. But if you go next door, you can-"

"Motoki-kun! I need your help!," An urgent melodic voice brought the attention of his big, green, puppy-dog eyes away from his apron and up towards the stunning blonde at the service counter whose countenance matched her tone.

"Hey, girl! Weren't you just here earlier today?," Furuhata Motoki greeted cheerfully, until he registered the look of anguish on the woman's face and immediately became concerned, "Hey, are you ok? What's wrong, love?"

"I lost my phone!," A distressed and slightly panicked Minako replied as if she was about to cry.

* * *

On account of the alcohol and late-night movie marathon, Minako's phone had nearly died last night while she stayed over at Karin and Azumi's place. As she drove home in the early morning, she planned to leave it for the day to charge while she decided to get some errands done and distract herself while she waited for her phone to come back to life and for Rei to text her.

She took her laundry to the Laundromat, put away her clothes, went for a run, gone grocery shopping, showered, all the while patiently waiting for her raven-haired beauty to contact her.

Well…actually she was anxious as _fuck,_ but didn't want to burden the archer with her neediness. Didn't she say she had something to do yesterday while Minako was out with her friends and sister? Rei wasn't very clear on what it was she planned on doing and Minako didn't want to pry. Perhaps she was still busy with that commitment?

 _Yeah, that must be it,_ Minako tried to convince herself.

As the day dragged on, she had done such a good job of trying to occupy herself that it wasn't until almost 5:00pm when she realized she hadn't heard from Rei. When she finally gave in to the burning temptation to check her phone to see if perhaps she didn't hear any incoming messages or calls, she went to her nightstand only to realize then that her phone…wasn't there!

She looked _everywhere_ for it in her apartment, in the car, practically tearing _both_ apart for a couple hours, but to no avail. She could have _sworn_ she had it with her!

Though she racked her brain of the day's events to try and recall where and when she might have misplaced it, this wasn't the reason for her panic. She was usually very good at returning the archer's calls or texts. Now, her mind became her nemesis, conjuring up all sorts of horrible and unspeakable possibilities. What if Rei tried calling her and thought Minako had blown her off? What if Rei was anxiously waiting for Minako to contact her and was upset or worried when Minako didn't respond? The thought of hurting the beautiful woman unintentionally was unbearable!

Or worse…what if something happened to Rei and Minako had no way of knowing?

Somewhere in her adrenaline-driven search and worry, a more logical side of her knew that she was most likely overthinking things. Rei knew her better than that, right? She'd know Minako would never intentionally ignore her calls. Why would she? She _loved_ hearing the sound of the raven-haired beauty's smooth voice that had a way of magically comforting her and making her feel unquestionably safe and warm. It was like curling up with a fleece blanket near a romantic fire on a cold winter's night.

But one train of thought seemed to continue to slither past her logical defenses: What if Rei… _didn't_ call? Not because she was busy, but…because she _didn't_ _want_ to? What if Minako's reaction the other night caused Rei to second-guess their relationship?

And when the _fuck_ did Minako become so paranoid about simply _dating_ someone!? She _had_ to find her phone! If anything, she needed to alleviate the haunting speculations conjured from her desperate state of mind.

* * *

Now here she was, standing at a service-counter, tapping the fingers of one hand anxiously on its worn, linoleum top, the other absently worrying the locket hanging from her neck as she looked with pleading sapphires at her friend, "I don't remember if I had it with me when I came here earlier. Did you happen to find it or did someone turn it in?"

"Your phone?," Motoki asked as he looked up slightly to think, "Mmmmm…not that I can recall," He looked at Minako and shrugged apologetically, "Sorry, love."

Minako's shoulders slumped as she let out a dejected sigh and hung her head, her bangs shadowing her face. She mentally kicked herself for the umpteenth time for her carelessness. As the gleam of hope in her enchanting, cerulean gaze fading, she felt as though lead had crept into every corner of her being, disappointment weighing heavily on her.

She took a deep breath in an attempt to revive herself as she lifted her head to meet the worried, puppy-dog eyes of her friend,

"Ok…," she sighed softly, trying to keep her voice from trembling. She slowly pushed herself away from the counter and let her arms fall heavily. She gave a small, lethargic wave as she turned and sulked towards the door to head to her car, "Thanks though, I'll see you la-"

"Wait, Minako-chan!," Motoki said suddenly, stopping her in her tracks. He leaned down behind the counter and the music in the Laundromat cut off abruptly and he straightened. He reached into his apron and pulled out his cellphone and began typing a few keys, "Just because I didn't find it and someone didn't turn it in doesn't mean it's not here. If you really _did_ lose it here, then we should be able to hear it."

"I don't know, Motoki-kun," Minako replied despondently as she turned towards him and leaned her forearms on the service counter, "My battery was almost dead and-"

 _ **Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…**_

The sound of the ringback tone from Motoki's phone as he put it on speaker interrupted Minako's words. Both were silent as they listened. With every passing second, Minako's hope began fading, _I guess it was too much to hope-._

 _ **Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!... Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!...**_

Minako's eyes widened as the familiar sounds of her ringtone interrupted her thoughts. The sound was muffled and distant, but it was indispuitably _her_ phone. She snapped her head around in an attempt to see where the sound was coming from within the facility.

 _ **Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!... Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!...**_

Minako immediately darted towards the sound, which seemed to be coming from the numerous rows of washing machines. She couldn't recall exactly which one she had used earlier that day and began walked quickly as she followed the sound. She turned down an aisle of machines and listened as the ringtone slowly became louder. She hunched over ever so slightly as she focused on the digital sound that was steadily growing louder.

 _ **Doo da da Doo da da-!**_

Silence. Minako groaned in frustration at the abrupt halting of her ringtone. She was so close!

"Let me try calling it again," Motoki said from behind her, startling a loud yelp out of the already frazzled blonde. She was so caught up in her irritation that she didn't notice the footfalls that approached from behind.

"Fuck, Motoki-kun!," Minako yelled with aggravated annoyance as she brought a hand to her chest in an attempt to stop the pounding of her heart. She turned towards him and leaned against one of the machines, taking breaths to steady herself, "Gods, you scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry, love!," Motoki replied sheepishly as he raised his hands innocently. Minako huffed as he looked down to his phone and press a button.

 _ **Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…**_

Both were silent once again and Minako's attention went back down the row of identical machines, anxiously waiting to hear the sound of her phone, praying to the Gods that her battery hadn't-

 _ **Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!... Doo da da Doo da da Doo da da da!...**_

Minako bolted towards the sound. As she continued down the aisle, she heard it becoming louder on the right side before suddenly falling behind her. She came to a sudden halt and turned her head to the right as she began slowly taking steps backwards until the sound got louder and was right next to her. A flash of something caught her cerulean eyes from the dark crevice between two machines, a soft light that blinking in time with the ringtone.

 _ **Doo da da Doo da da-!**_

Silence. The battery had finally died, but survived just long enough!

"There it is!," Minako exclaimed as she pointed towards the crevice, too narrow for a human hand to access, but just enough for other smaller items to slip through, _Like my fucking phone_ , she thought wryly to herself.

Motoki approached and leaned over to see exactly where the device was and examine the situation,

"Wow, it's really way back there, isn't it?," he said, "Stay here, love, I'll see if I can find something to pull it out with."

"Mmn," Minako replied, keeping her sapphire sights on the now dark outline of her device, not bothering to look at her friend as if looking away from her phone would suddenly cause it to disappear. She heard his footsteps fading away quickly, followed by the random clattering and banging of shuffled supplies.

Soon the sounds of footsteps approaching came and she allowed herself to pull her attention away from her phone to her friend who was holding a lobby broom. She stepped back to allow Motoki space to maneuver the broom into the narrow space and coax the gadget out.

"Aaalmost…," Motoki said softly more to himself as he carefully steered the broom with both hands. Minako fiddled with her necklace anxiously as she heard a soft scraping sound from her phone being nudged from its hiding place towards freedom. Motoki pulled the broom out from between the machines and rested it lengthwise over the top of them before he got down on his hands and knees and reached his fingers in between the appliances.

"Got it!," He exclaimed triumphantly as he pulled out Minako's phone with the tips of his fingers. It was covered in a good amount of dark-grey lint and tangled hair from being dragged across the floor, "Eeeewwww! That's just nasty," he said as he wrinkled his nose.

"Thank the Gods! You're the best, Motoki-chan!," Minako exclaimed as she practically pounced on him trying to reach for her phone. Motoki abruptly brought his other hand up and pushed her away, keeping her at arm's length away from her phone,

"Oh, honey, heeeelllllll no! I am _not_ letting those pretty, little, manicured hands touch _this_ filthy thing until I get it cleaned up for you!," Motoki said with disapproval as he began walking towards the service-counter, holding the implement away from himself in disgust, still dangling it in between the tips of his fingers, while swatting at it gingerly with the other to get the larger pieces of offending filth off of it.

"Motoki-kuuuun!," Minako whined with annoyance and followed him towards the front of the store.

"This'll just take a second, love," Motoki replied reassuringly as he leaned down behind the counter and grabbed a tube of disinfecting wipes with his free hand while Minako returned to her place on the other side of the counter, leaning over it with her forearms. He popped the top open and pulled out a sheet. Twisting his hand so that the sheet lay flat in his palm, he placed her phone in the center of the wipe. He grabbed another wipe and began brushing the gadget vigorously. Once he was satisfied with his work, he flipped the phone over and repeated the action to the other side. After he finished with that task, he threw away the used wipe and took the phone in his free hand, flipping it open. With the wipe he used to hold the phone, he gently wiped the keys and the screen. Smiling, he snapped the phone shut and threw away the remaining wipe,

"There, see?," Motoki said as he made a show of presenting her phone to her, "Good as new!"

Minako rolled her eyes and smirked, "Thanks, handsome," she replied with playful sarcasm. She straightened and took her phone, "But, seriously, I owe you _big_ time for this."

"Oh, please, girl," Motoki waved his hand as if to brush the comment away, "What are friends for? And, plus, what I _want_ you could _never_ give me." His eyes lit up, "Speaking of which, how's my tall drink of sexy hotness doing?"

"Still straight and still super in love with Usa-neechan," Minako chuckled and shrugged apologetically, "Sorry, hun."

"How utterly tragic," Motoki sighed as he dramatically brought the back of his hand up to his forehead as he looked forlornly at the ceiling, "I guess I'm just destined to pine the rest of my life away for that man and continue my role as martyr for the sake of my beloved friend's happiness."

"And I'm sure Usa-neechan appreciates your sacrifice," Minako replied sarcastically as she smirked at her friend's antics.

"Althooough," Motoki sang as his eyes twinkled with mischief. He brought his hand to his chin, stroking it in thought as he suggestively wiggled one of his eyebrows, "Isn't there a saying? 'Just because there's a goalie, doesn't mean you can't score?'"

"Motoki-kun!," Minako half-giggled, half-chided as she leaned over the counter and smacking his upper-arm disapprovingly, "That's terrible! And, in any case, Mamoru-kun doesn't play for your team!"

"Ow!," Motoki whined in a high-pitched voice playfully as he swatted at her retreating hand, "I was just kidding, you brute!"

"You better be!," Minako said with feigned reproach as she wagged a finger at him, "Or no more free highlights or haircuts for that pretty little head of yours!"

Motoki let out a high-pitched, dramatic gasp as he brought his hands to his chest, laying one hand on top of the other, "No! Don't _ever_ threaten a gay man's hair!"

Minako couldn't contain herself any longer and let out a full laugh at her friend's shenanigans. She could almost feel all the heaviness from the day melting away as she laughed. Motoki smiled warmly at his long-time friend as he leaned over the counter on his forearms casually, placing a hand on hers, "Well, I'm glad you're smiling now, Minako-chan. You looked like shit when you first came in. Brooding doesn't suit that gorgeous face of yours, love." He raised an eyebrow at his friend, "Does it have anything to do with a certain someone you're dating?"

Minako abruptly stopped laughing, shock covering her face, "Wh-What?"

"You were freaking out about your phone being lost," Motoki replied casually as he raised his eyebrow, "And you keep touching that fabulous necklace you have on, which I assume is new. Were you waiting for a special someone to call?" Minako averted her gaze to the counter as she blushed darkly.

"Ooooh, I know _that_ look," Motoki teased as he casually slapped Minako's hand, watching the gorgeous blonde's reaction to his speculations, "Meanie! Why didn't you tell me you were seeing someone new?"

Minako looked sheepishly at her friend, "W-Well…" she trailed off and shrugged apologetically.

Motoki smiled knowingly and straightened, "Don't worry, love," he said comfortingly, "I get it, a girl's got to have her secrets, right?," he said playfully as he winked.

"M-Mmn," Minako nodded shyly.

"There's no need to be embarrassed, love," Motoki reassured. He pulled out his phone, flipped it open, and held it up to Minako, "Speaking of secrets, want to see the new addition to my collection?"

Minako looked up to see what Motoki was talking about and she nearly fell over when she saw a picture of a shirtless Mamoru draped across a luxurious couch, wearing only an expensive pair of jeans. The photo was obviously taken from the cover of a fashion magazine.

Motoki sighed dreamily as he turned the phone back to stare longingly at the photo, "That man is _so_ delicious! If I looked half as good as him, I'd go out and find me a hot young thing and make him bend me over like a-"

"As much as I'd love to hear how the rest of that sentence ends," Minako interrupted Motoki's musing in a playful sarcastic tone as she rolled her eyes, "I've got to go." She stuffed her phone into her pocket and leaned over the counter to peck her friend on both cheeks in a European air-kiss fashion, which he returned.

"I'll call you later so we can hang out, ok?," she called over her shoulder as she headed towards the door, "Thanks again for helping me, hun!"

"Sure thing, love! Toodles!," Motoki called cheerfully as he waved to his friend. He whistled happily to himself as he headed towards the back room to continue working.

* * *

 **Author Note:** A reviewer mentioned that the last couple chapters made them think of Yaten. I've never really been a fan of the Sailor Starlights so I didn't plan for them to appear in this story. I hope that doesn't deter any of you from continuing to read! =(

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	29. Chapter 29

**Author Note:** All the characters in this story are speaking in Japanese so far. In future chapters, I'll note whether the characters are speaking in another language and how you'll be able to tell.

This is the beginning of a pivotal moment in the story.

 **Obiage, Obi Jime, Obi** = [Japanese] different parts of a kimono. It's difficult to describe without seeing a photo so I would suggest searching this website instead.

Types of Japanese Kimonos – Picture Reference. (n.d.). In _Kimono Information 12_ Retrieved June 28, 2015, from . (Type "wafuku, kimono info 12" into your search engine and it should be the first link. Scroll to the bottom for a diagram of a kimono.)

 **-han** = [Japanese] equivalent to –san but in Kansai-ben dialect

 **Kansai-ben** = [Japanese] dialect spoken in Kansai region of Japan, which includes Kyoto where Shizuru is from according to Mai-HiME.

 **Ookini** = [Japanese] "thank you" in Kansai-ben dialect

 **Shacho** = [Japanese] "company president"

 _Pop-Quiz: 1 Question_

 _1_ \- What's the rating of this story?

I don't own Sailor Moon, X, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Bareilles, S. (2010). _King of Anything_ [Recorded by Sara Bareilles]. On Kaleidoscope Heart [CD], New York, New York: Epic Records.

Obara, M. (2004). _Mai-HiME_. Suginami, Tokyo, Japan: Sunrise Inc.

Ikeguchi, K., Iwase, Y., Kadokawa, T., Kokoyama, K., and Maruyama, M. (Producers), & Rintaro (Director). (1996). _X_ [Motion picture]. Japan: Bandai Visual Company.

The 'Okage Foundation, 'Mineralogy', 'Himitsu', and 'Hino Sporting Enterprise' companies that appear in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 29:**

 ** _\- You've got opinions, man. We're all entitled to 'em. But I never asked. So let me thank you for your time and try to not waste any more of mine. Get out of here fast. I hate to break it to you, babe, but I'm not drowning. There's no one here to save. Who cares if you disagree? You are not me. Who made you king of anything? So you dare tell me who to be? Who died and made you king of anything? -_**

A bubbly, upbeat song played through the speakers and served as background music for the cocktail reception of the gala. The event hall was elegantly arranged and staged for the gala, evidence that Haruka and Michiru spared no expense in catering to their donors' elite tastes in the hopes that they would part with some of their own economic endowment for the sake of the foundation.

Once inside, Rei and Haruka met up with Michiru and Setsuna and shared greetings. As more patrons continued to trickle into the event, the three older women decided that Setsuna would keep Rei company until Nobuo returned to help buffer her from gala attendees and keep her safe while Haruka and Michiru attended to the event itself.

* * *

As Rei and Setsuna were catching up, Rei felt a familiar presence approach and turned her attention towards the sensation,

"Good evening, Rei-sempai," Natsuki said cordially with a respectful bow once she had reached her unofficial mentor. She had arrived on the chartered bus that was hired to bring all the beneficiaries to the event as well as bring them back to the dorms once curfew came around. The young woman wore a navy-blue blazer with a pale, seafoam-green vest over a white button-up with a black crossover tie, and black slacks.

"Good evening, Natsuki-kohai," Rei replied with a nod. She sensed slight Anxiety in her unofficial mentee's ice-blue aura and was about to ask if everything was ok until she noticed the brunette that she had also sponsored standing right behind her. A smirk played across her lips, "And who might this be?"

"O-Oh! U-Ummm…," Natsuki, stuttered as a soft blush painted her cheeks, "T-This is…ummm-"

"Fujino Shizuru," the attractive, young brunette replied with an elegant smile as she stepped forward and bowed politely. The young woman wore a deep-purple kimono with a red obiage and obi jime that accented a navy-blue obi with a four-pointed, yellow pinwheel pattern on the right-side, "I wanted to introduce myself and share my deepest gratitude to you in person for sponsoring me, Hino-han." She looked to the shorter blunette and smiled as she slid a hand underneath her arm to pull her closer, "My adorable date, Natsuki, was kind enough to escort me over here to meet you."

"O-Oi, Shizuru!," Natsuki said with slight irritation. She was blushing madly now and seemed to find the floor extremely interesting to look at.

"It's nice to meet you, Fujino-san," Rei replied with a nod as she smirked. She noted the distinct Kansai-ben in the younger woman's voice, the lack of honorific on both their names, and how her unofficial mentee's ice-blue aura radiated with Bashfulness and an excited type of Nervousness. She smirked knowingly, satisfied with the knowledge that she had made the right choice in sponsoring the young brunette to come to the event with Natsuki.

Shizuru turned her attention to Setsuna, "Good evening, Setsuna-sempai," she said as she bowed politely towards the taller woman, "I'm glad to see you here as well."

"Mmn, I'm glad Rei-kun made it possible for you to attend," Setsuna replied warmly with a nod, "I hope you two enjoy yourselves tonight."

"Mmn, ookini. We will," Shizuru replied with a beautiful smile and an adorable giggle as she bowed again. Natsuki, still embarrassed by Shizuru's actions only nodded in acknowledgement as they both went off to enjoy the night.

* * *

"Oh, young love," Setsuna sighed as she watched the two young women head off towards where the rest of their friends were congregating. She was wearing a long-sleeved, form-fitting, knee-length, light-purple cocktail dress with an off the shoulder collar and a red bow accenting the center of the collar.

"Mmn," Rei nodded with a smirk as she casually pulled her phone out to check it again. She closed her eyes and sighed subtly in disappointment as she returned it back to her purse.

"Still no call or text from Mina-chan?," Setsuna said empathetically as she turned her attention towards the raven-haired beauty.

"Nope, nothing," Rei replied as her shoulders slumped slightly. Her eyes shot open as she turned to look at the older woman, "Wait, how did you know?"

"You've been checking your phone non-stop since you got here," Setsuna giggled lightly as she explained. She brought a hand up to rest it gently on Rei's shoulder reassuringly, "'A watched pot never boils', Rei-kun. I'm sure she'll call you soon."

"M-Mmn," Rei replied with an obedient nod.

The two women fell into a comfortable silence for a moment before Setsuna spoke up, "I dated a girl once…in high school," she said almost musingly, changing the subject as she looked casually out towards the event hall at nothing in particular.

"Really?," Rei replied with a bit of surprise as she brought her attention to the taller dark-green haired woman.

"Mmn," Setsuna nodded. A soft smile came to her full lips as she reminisced, "She was a year older than me…Gods, I was so head over heels for her."

"What was she like?," Rei asked, intrigued by this new piece of information from the usually quite and private woman.

Setsuna's deep-purple/maroon eyes softened as she became lost in her thoughts, "She was beautiful. Pale-blue eyes, hair so blonde it almost looked white when she was out in the sun, and she was so mature…and so caring. I still remember the cresent moon necklace she used to wear all the time…some sort of family heirloom or something…" She allowed the sentence to trail off as her memories seemed to play before her eyes.

"She sounds wonderful," Rei replied sincerely, seeing the taller woman's maroon aura sway with Longing and Nostalgia, "So…what happened?"

"She graduated and had to return to her home country," Setsuna sighed with slight disappointment, blinking a couple times to bring herself back to the present moment, "She couldn't bring herself to abdicate and let her people down. I respect that. Plus, she was already betrothed to someone else so we wouldn't've worked out anyways."

She turned and smiled at Rei contently, "But it was fun while it lasted and I have no regrets."

Rei looked up at the taller woman with shock as realization hit her _, Platinum-blonde, almost white hair…pale-blue eyes…cresent moon neckace!?_ , "S-Setsuna-kun…A-Are you saying-"

"My apologies, Rei-sama," Nobuo said as he approached the two women, interrupting their conversation, "It took a little longer than I thought it would."

"Good to see you again, Kobayashi-san," Setsuna said kindly as she nodded towards the handsome older man. She turned to Rei, "I'll take my leave now. It's getting late and I have to pick up Hotaru from her friend's house and take her home."

"W-Wait! Hold on, Setsuna-kun," Rei replied as she caught Setsuna's arm gently before she could walk away, "So…a-are you telling me…that in high school…you dated Que-"

"Shhh," Setsuna replied gently as she brought a finger up to her full lips, signaling for Rei not finish her sentence, "I remember she used to tell me, 'A proper woman _never_ kisses and tells'." She winked at Rei and let out a giggle before gracefully leaving her and her bodyguard to themselves.

* * *

 _Huh…_ , Rei thought to herself with slight amusement as she smirked and watched the wedding planner cross the room to say her goodbyes to Haruka and Michiru before leaving.

"I have some information on the…person of interest, Rei-sama," Nobuo said quietly to his young charge, bringing her attention back to him, her violet eyes reflecting eagerness with a hint of concern, "I believe you'll be hearing from her very soon."

Rei raised an eyebrow at her bodyguard as he nodded encouragingly.

 _ **Beep Beep!**_

Almost as if on cue, a text message was received on Rei's phone. She quickly pulled her phone out of her purse and flipped it open:

 _ **AINO MINAKO:**_ _I'm SO sorry, baby! I lost my phone earlier today and it died so I didn't get your text or call until just now! I'm sad we couldn't hang out before you left, but I hope you're having fun. Tell Haru-chan and Michi-chan I say 'hi'. Text me when you're on your way home? I'd like to see you later tonight if you're up for it?_

A gentle smile of adoration graced Rei's alluring lips as relief washed over her, taking away the tension and worry that had been plaguing her all day. She began to type a few keys:

 _ **HINO REI:**_ _I'm glad you found your phone, I was starting to worry when I didn't hear from you. I'd really like to see you, too. Should be done at about 8:00pm or so. Your place or mine?_

Rei pressed a button and the sound of a sent text came from her phone. A moment passed before...

 _ **Beep Beep!**_

She pressed a button to open the newly received text message:

 _ **AINO MINAKO:**_ _I'll be at your place at 8:30pm then. I love your bed and your place is closer to my work ;) Thinking of you, *muah!_

Rei smiled as she shut her phone and looked at the time: 7:30pm. She placed her phone in her purse and could hardly contain her elation. She was going to see her princess again. Not only that, the gorgeous blonde was going to spend the night!

* * *

"Everything's ok, I presume?," Nobuo said with a hint of teasing in his soothing voice, bringing Rei back to the present moment. She turned to her bodyguard and eyed him skeptically,

"How did you know she was going to text me?," Rei asked suspiciously.

"I didn't," Nobuo replied matter-of-factly, "It was just…an educated guess."

"Nobuo-saaaan," Rei replied in a light-hearted warning tone. She knew her bodyguard never left anything up to chance if he could help it. He was more meticulous than that, which is what made him so good at his job, "What did you do to come to this 'educated guess' of yours?"

A sly smirk pulled at Nobuo's lips. He had a feeling his young charge wouldn't let him get off with such a simple explanation _that_ easily, "I used our systems to scan the city for her cellphone's radio-wave signal using her phone number. It appears to have only been used four times today: all incoming, no outgoing activity. From there, I triangulated the location of her phone to an address where it seems to have been since about 8:00am this morning. I looked up the address and it was a local Laundromat so I assumed she must have lost it there for a good portion of the day. The cell signal died at about 7:03pm according to the information I found. I checked the last two incoming calls she got and they were right after one another from a cellphone that seemed to be within the same location. I assumed she must have enlisted a friend to help her find her phone and just estimated from there how long it would take her to charge it so she would get your text and respond."

"Kami-sama, Nobuo-san!," Rei sighed in astonishment as she subtly face-palmed, "What did I say about not doing anything stalker-ish!?"

"I thought perhaps just using found-data and making an educated guess rather than actually _hacking_ into the Laundromat's security camera system to see if she indeed found her phone after it died qualified as not being 'stalker-ish'," Nobuo replied cheekly as he winked.

Rei rolled her eyes and groaned in exasperation as her bodyguard chuckled in response. A thought suddenly came to her and she glared her intense lavenders at her bodyguard, "Wait…how did you get Mina's phone number!?" she hissed quietly, trying not to raise her voice and attract attention from the other gala patrons.

Nobuo looked away as he shrugged casually. Rei's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as realization dawned on her. She smacked Nobuo's upper-arm incredulously, "Kami-sama! You did a _full background check_ on her, didn't you!?"

"It's my job to protect you, Rei-sama," Nobuo chuckled as he raised his hands in innocent defensiveness, "I was just being thorough, that's all."

"When!?," Rei demanded in a hushed voice.

"Kyoto," Nobuo replied with a shrug as if it were an obvious answer.

"Mataku! Is _that_ what you were doing on your tablet computer!?," Rei said with a mix of disbelief and irritation as she shook her head, "I can't believe you, sometimes! I swear, you're such a-"

* * *

"Hino-san! So good to see you here!," a voice with a distinct Irish accent called to Rei as she felt a presence approach. She quickly collected herself and turned towards the person who was approaching. Nobuo changed to his professonal demeanor and did his duty by stepping subtly between her and the older man who was heading towards them.

"Good evening, Crystal-sama," Rei replied in a reserved and formal manner as she bowed politely. The older, portly man, who appeared to be in his early fifties, was only half a head taller than her and had short, dirty-blonde hair and a thick moustache. He was wearing a formal black and white tux with a large, ornate crystal brooch pinned to the lapel of his jacket.

"And who's this?," the older man asked as he eyed Nobuo. His voice held a hint of annoyance towards the taller, handsome man who was just in his way enough to prevent him from greeting the archer properly, "You're boyfriend?"

"My bodyguard," Rei replied matter-of-factly with a cold edge.

"Ah," the older man said as he nodded and waved his hand dismissively, as if trying to wave Nobuo from his presence.

"Nobuo-san," Rei said as she turned to her bodyguard. Nobuo turned to look at his young charge and saw her intense amethysts darken slightly to a shade of indigo. He could tell she was beginning to become defensive of how the older man was treating him and was redirecting her attention to him to curb her irritation, "You remember Crystal Thomas, yes? The owner of Mineralogy?"

"Mmn," Nobuo nodded as he turned back towards the older gentleman and bowed respectfully, "We've met a few times before."

"Have we? Well, no matter," Thomas replied with disinterest. He directed his attention eagerly to Rei as if Nobuo didn't exist, "I wanted to see if you were enjoying the custom piece we made for you recently?" He eyed Rei and his face turned to disappointment as he noticed she wasn't wearing the necklace she ordered, "Oh, was it not to your liking?"

"It was," Rei replied curtly, "It's at home."

 _W_ _ho I'm going to see once I fulfill my social obligation here!,_ Rei thought to herself cheekily as she thought of a certain gorgeous blonde who she knew was wearing the necklace she had commissioned right at this very moment.

"Ah, I see," Thomas said with a hint of relief, "I understand. Wouldn't want to ruin a work of art, right?" He let out an obnoxiously loud laugh at his own comment as he turned and enthusiastically motioned for a young man from across the room to come over. Rei let out a subtle sigh of annoyance.

"I wanted to introduce you to the genius who designed that piece," Thomas said eagerly as a younger, clean-shaven, baby-faced, more athletic version of Thomas approached. He was perhaps the same age as Rei and was about the same height, if not slightly shorter.

"This is my son, Jay," Thomas said proudly as he gestured towards the young blonde, "He just became the regional Creative Director of our Japanese branches and moved here only six months ago from Ireland."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Hino-san," Jay said, his voice carrying a hint of an Irish accent, as he bowed politely to the archer. Rei nodded curtly at the young man before her attention was drawn to a taller man with a bronze-colored aura that followed closely behind the young man. The taller man had an angular face with a serious expression. His wavy, brown hair came past his shoulders and he was wearing a sharp, black suit.

"And this is my bodyguard while I'm in Japan, Shintennou Nephrite," Jay said as he looked to the taller man behind him as he gestured towards him.

Rei noticed a flash of something appear in the denim-blue aura of the young man as he mentioned Nephrite's name. Her lavender eyes narrowed ever so slightly, analytically, as she tried to read his aura.

"We were just talking about how Hino-san liked the piece you made for her," Thomas announced boastfully, breaking Rei's concentration. She noticed his voice had gotten a touch louder, as if trying to attract the attention of the other gala patrons to their conversation.

"Mmn, Crystal-sama mentioned you made the necklace I requested," Rei said evenly, using everything in her to try and rein in the annoyance that wanted to appear in her voice. She bowed politely, "Thank you, it was beautiful."

"My pleasure, Hino-san," Jay said courteously as he bowed in return, "I would venture to say it was my best work." He straightened as a small, inviting smile came to his lips, "But, of course, nothing made by man could compare to the enchanting image of the Flame Sniper. The rumors of your beauty do not do you justice."

Rei's face turned a slight shade of red at Jay's comment. Not because she was flattered by it, but because she was having a difficult time containing the hostile irritation that was brewing just below the surface. She was already irritated by having to interact with these two men, but once she saw the noticeable degree of Deceit flickering in Jay's aura, she was close to walking away entirely out of annoyance. If there was anything Rei detested most in the world, it was dishonesty, especially if it was at her expense and it frustrated her to no end not knowing what Jay was trying to achieve with his comment.

"Come, Hino-san, there's no need for modesty here," Thomas said as he let out one of those obnoxious laughs again, misinterpreting the change in her color for coy bashfulness, "Why don't I leave you two to get to know each other and-"

* * *

"Excuse me, Crystal-sama, Crystal-san, Shintennou-san," a low, husky voice cut in. Rei let out a subtle sigh of relief as Haruka and Michiru came just at the right time. She immediately felt herself relax with their familiar auras close by, "I'm terribly sorry, but do you mind if I steal Hino-san for a moment? I have some business I need to discuss with her. "

"…O-Oh! Oh, yes! Yes, of course!," Thomas replied with an almost nervous chuckle, obviously not doing a good job of covering up his disappointment at Haruka and Michiru's timing.

"Why don't I escort you three to the silent auction table?," Michiru asked sweetly, "We're very excited about the prizes we were able to acquire for it. Please, this way."

"M-Mmn," Thomas nodded as Michiru began subtly guiding him towards the far side of the room where the silent auction was taking place, "W-We'll be over there if you'd like to join us later, Hino-san," he called to Rei over his shoulder, "Come along, Jay."

"I hope to see more of you while I'm in Japan, Hino-san," Jay said with a hint of suggestiveness in his voice as he flashed Rei a charming smile. He bowed politely and winked at her before following his father towards the other side of the room, with his bodyguard close behind.

* * *

"Thank _fucking_ Kami-sama," Rei groaned once the three were out of earshot as she let out an aggravated breath, "Just because his jewelry is the best in the world _doesn't_ mean he has to be _such_ an arrogant, self-important, conceited, suck-up!" She turned to Nobuo and brought a hand up to rest on Nobuo's back comfortingly, "And I _hate_ how he treats you."

" _He_ doesn't bother me, Rei-sama. I could care less about _him_ ," Nobuo said as he turned to face Rei, his countenance shaded with vexation, "But I _didn't_ like how that little weasel of a kid was talking to you," he said lowly through gritted teeth.

"The son's harmless, Nobuo-san. Forget about him," Rei said comfortingly as she looked intently into his chocolate-colored eyes, trying to calm him down. He sighed and nodded to his young charge, his aura calming slightly.

Rei turned to Haruka and smiled gratefully, "That was perfect timing, Haruka. Thanks for saving-"

"Rei, you should leave. Now," Haruka said quickly in a hushed voice. Rei could see a wary look in her usually confident eyes, her royal-blue aura flickering with heavy strands of Protectiveness, Worry, and Anxiety. She immediately became concerned,

"Haruka, what's going on? Is everything-," She paused when she reached out and rested her hand on Haruka's upper-arm. She felt Haruka's aura seep into her and was able to read it more carefully. Her intense, violet eyes immediately turned a deadly shade of indigo. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she stood up straighter, becoming more rigid.

"He's _fucking_ here, isn't he," Rei said coldly through gritted teeth, more as a statement than a question. She could feel her other hand beginning to curl into a fist.

"I'm so sorry, Rei," Haruka whispered apologetically, "I swear to the _Gods_ , we didn't know. We just found out and came over as soon as we heard to warn-"

"I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight, Hino-san," a low, commanding voice interrupted, getting the attention of Haruka, Rei, and Nobuo. They turned to find a tall, darkly handsome older man in a formal, black suit standing nearby and Rei's intense, indigo eyes narrowed as she looked at him. The man had piercing, steel-grey eyes, elegant streaks of white that ran through his jet-black, short hair and…no aura.

"Papa," Rei said evenly in a low tone as she bowed respectfully to her father. Being a business-man, he always addressed her professionally with appropriate honorific. Rei preferred it that way, wanting to keep her distance from him.

However, being raised by her grandfather to be a respectful young woman, she reluctantly addressed him as his daughter. Her pride wouldn't allow her to be less than perfect whenever she had to be in his presence. She made it a point to be, wanted him to see, wanted there to be no question, that she was raised to be a strong and dignified woman, no thanks to him. She was a woman of integrity, moral character, who loved her family, or at least those she _considered_ her family. She was her mother's daugher, her grandfather's granddaughter. She was everything he wasn't. She was good, he was evil. She was righteous, he was immoral. Other than their hair color and similarly attractive looks, she was _nothing_ like him. And, though she was under his control contractually, nothing, not even a _fucking contract_ , could take that away from her.

"Tenoh-san, Kobayashi-san," Hino Takashi nodded towards the racecar driver and bodyguard.

"Shacho-sama," Nobuo greeted as he bowed respectfully.

"Hino-sama," Haruka greeted as she bowed respectfully, "We weren't expecting to see you here tonight."

"I was unsure whether I would be attending," Takashi replied matter-of-factly, "But due to the company's most recent involvement with the foundation, it seemed appropriate to make an appearance."

"And we greatly appreciate Hino Sporting Enterprise's continued support," Haruka replied respectfully as she bowed again, "And I know our students appreciate it as well."

"Mmn," Takashi nodded absently as he turned his attention to Rei, "I'm sure you have your work cut out for you for tonight's event," he said, still addressing Haruka, "Could you leave us so I can speak to my daughter alone?"

Haruka turned to subtly look at Rei anxiously, but Rei's attention was all on her father, staring him down confidently with a hint of defiance in her darkened, indigo eyes. Haruka glanced at Nobuo briefly, who returned a subtle, comforting nod, "Of course, Hino-sama," she said as she turned back to Takashi and nodded, "Please enjoy yourself tonight and let me know if you need anything at all." She walked away, reluctantly leaving her best friend at the mercy of her horrid father.

* * *

"Isn't this considered a breach of your contract?," Takashi asked skeptically with a subtle mocking tone as he raised an eyebrow, "Didn't you specifically ask for time off from company business?"

"The addendum doesn't specify what I _can_ and _cannot_ do with my time off. What I do during this time is _my_ business," Rei replied coldly, trying hard not to lose her temper.

Really!? The man wanted to lecture her about her contract!? She could recite that fucking thing in her sleep! She took a breath and spoke more professionally, "I'm here for personal reasons, not as a representative of the company."

Takashi nodded, silently conceding to Rei's point, "Well, since you're here, I can tell you about the company's most recent charitable contribution-"

"You mean the expansion of the Okage Foundation's east-wing dorms?," Rei responded coldly. She flicked her long raven-colored hair behind her shoulder indifferently, "I find it _fascinating_ how the cost of that expansion _just_ _barely_ met the minimum tax write-off to qualify for the lower bracket and escrow for the project closed _just_ in time for this year's tax-filing deadline," she said evenly with a sarcastic edge.

Since having to sign her contract so many years ago, Rei took the phrase 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer' _very_ seriously. Though she detested her father and his company, she made it her business to know the company inside and out so she could use it to her advantage if she needed to or if she needed something. The only thing she wasn't able to do with that knowledge was get out of her _fucking_ contract.

Takashi narrowed his eyes slightly at his daughter's insolence, who returned with her own cold glare. They stayed that way for a few moments, as if battling each other through their equally intense gazes. After a while, a small, amused smirk appeared on Takashi's face, which didn't touch his eyes, "So you _have_ been paying attention."

"What is it you wanted to speak to me about, Papa?," Rei asked, a cold edge tinting her words. She could tell he was toying with her now, trying to make conversation when there was nothing she wanted more than to be as far away from him as possible. She wanted him to get to the point.

Takashi's smirk faded, "Kobayashi-san, would you be so kind as to get us both some refreshments?," he said to Nobuo without taking his attention off his daughter. Though it came out as a question, Rei and Nobuo knew the underlying tone was more of a command.

"Whatever you have to say can be said in front of Nobuo-san," Rei said firmly, "After all, you hired him to keep an eye on me, did you not? I have no secrets from him."

"Very well, Hino-san," Takashi stated in his commanding tone, "I wanted to discuss the F.S. account with you."

"Yes, what of it?," Rei asked evenly. The F.S. account Takashi was referring to stood for 'Flame Sniper' and was set up specifically by Hino Sporting Enterprise for Rei's financial purposes. It was also the account the company used to pay for shrine expenses per her contract.

"As I was reviewing the company statements with the Financial team, I noticed some…abnormal transactions from that account this past week," Takashi replied, his voice carrying a suspicious tone, "I had a mind to shut down the account in case it had been compromised. But since you're here, perhaps you would care to explain? "

Rei could feel her temper rising. The thinly veiled threat on her home nearly made her explode on him. She knew he was provoking her, trying to make her lose her cool, make her look like a petulant child and he the mature adult. This dance they performed, this exhaustive power-struggle and battle of wills between her and her equally stubborn father was more than tangible.

She subtly took slow, meditative breaths through her nose. Her father, who built the company from scratch, wasn't the president for nothing. He had his own ways of getting what he wanted and using information to his advantage.

"Which transactions are you referring to?," Rei asked casually, though she already had a pretty good idea.

"A few in particular," Takashi replied evenly, "A trip to Kyoto, dinner at Himitsu, and jewelry from Mineralogy. All within this week."

"Article 25, Section 3C," Rei stated professionally, "'The Athlete shall be provided an account with the Company to use as she desires and to sustain the Hikawa Shrine given the activities on the account are within the legal parameters of the law and do not reflect poorly on the Company.' Since when has eating and buying jewelry been illegal in Japan? Plus, Mineralogy is a company partner."

"Flying to Kyoto for dinner?," Takashi challenged with a raised eyebrow.

"Supporting local business," Rei replied matter-of-factly, "But, again, what I do while Addendum A is in effect is _my_ business. I'm able to do as I please with my time _and_ my account so long as it meets the guidelines outlined in the contract."

"If you're bored and looking for things to do during this time off of yours," Takashi replied in a patronizing tone, "I have _plenty_ for you to do at the company to prepare you for your role as Shacho."

"Nobuo-san," Rei said as she pulled her phone out to check the time, ignoring her father's comment, "I believe it's time for us to go."

"Yes, Rei-sama," Nobuo replied obediently with a nod to his young charge. He bowed respectfully towards Takashi, "Shacho-sama."

"Goodbye, Papa," Rei stated dryly as she bowed respectfully towards Takashi, "It's been a pleasure as usual. I hope you enjoy the company while I continue to enjoy what's left of my contractual free will."

"I look forward to seeing you upon your return to the company, Hino-san," Takashi replied in a professional tone as he nodded to his daughter.

* * *

As Rei and Nobuo went to bid farewells to her childhood friends, Takashi reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. He flipped it open and pressed a button before bringing it to his ear.

 ** _Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…Click!_**

"Good evening, Shacho-sama," a female voice answered professionally on the other line, "How may I help you?"

"Good evening, Yatōji-san," Takashi greeted his Director of Information Technology and Transactions as he kept his eyes trained on his daughter across the event hall, "Do a full investigation on the F.S. account and use our systems to cross-reference all activity that has occurred in the last two weeks."

"Yes, Shacho-sama," Yatōji Satsuki replied obediently on the other line. Takashi could hear the distinct rhythmic sound of computer keys typing in the background, "Would you like surveillance as part of the cross-referencing?"

"Yes, that would be most helpful," Takashi replied. As he stared analytically at his daugher and her bodyguard from across the room, a thought came to him, "Yatōji-san?"

"Yes, Shacho-sama?," Satsuki replied, the computer keys pausing in the background.

"Do a full investigation on Kobayashi-san's search history and access to our systems in the last two weeks as well," Takashi said as a small smirk slowly formed on his lips, "I have a feeling it might help to make your job easier while you're cross-reference the F.S. account."

"Will do, Shacho-sama," Satsuki replied as the computer keys began rattling in the background again, "I can have all this information to you by the end of the week."

"Excellent, thank you," Takashi replied. He shut his phone and returned it to his coat pocket as he watched his daughter and her bodyguard leave the event hall.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Sorry for the cliffhanger! The next chapter is already written in my head, will try to push it out as quickly as possible!

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	30. Chapter 30

**Author Note:** I'm so excited to write what's to come that sometimes it's hard to get through writing the chapters that have to lead up to those important moments. But I guess they're important too as they have to set the tone. The reviews have definitely been helpful in keeping me motivated to continue so thanks so much for those!

This chapter jumps around a little so I hope it's not confusing. Also, if you haven't noticed already, I try to warn readers when lemons will be appearing in the story.

 **Oji** = [Japanese] "uncle"

 _Chapter 29 Pop-Quiz Answers:_

 _1 -_ What's the rating of this story?  
 _ **Rated M(for some language and some lemon)**_

I don't own Sailor Moon and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Arbuckle, T., Peiken, S., and Thomas, K. (2000). _I Wanna Be With You_ [Recorded by Mandy Moore]. On I Wanna Be With You [CD], New York, New York: Epic Records.

The building 'Incendia' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 30:**

"THAT _FUCKING_ PRICK!," Rei exclaimed as they reached the car, her voice echoing off the walls of the designated parking garage that was attached to the event hall. Now that she was safely away from the gala and could sense that they were alone in the garage, she couldn't contain the irritation, anger, and frustration that had been building and eating away at her from the night's events any longer.

She slammed her fist onto the top of the car, "WHO THE _FUCK_ DOES HE THINK HE IS!? I'VE ALREADY GIVEN UP MY EDUCATION, MY HOME, THE REST OF MY _FUCKING FUTURE_ FOR HIM AND THAT _FUCKING_ COMPANY! WHAT _MORE_ COULD HE _POSSIBLY_ TAKE AWAY FROM ME!?"

Nobuo stood silently behind the archer as she exploded, allowing her to vent. She always despised and loathed the social elitists that she occasionally had to interact with due to her position at the company and her athletic fame and knew it took a lot for her to be at that gala, knew how much his young charge cared about her 'older sisters' and unofficial mentee to put herself in such a situation. He admired how she would be able hold it together in the midst of it, be at least civil and professional in those spaces, though he could always see how much it truly taxed and exhausted her.

Because of that, he knew how much she needed this. From his experience, once his young charge's temper was ignited, it was best to let it run its course. Any motion to try and curb it would only make the situation worse. She needed space to just be herself and blow off some steam, especially after that tense exchange she had with her father.

He watched as Rei took slow, heavy breaths to calm herself down as she brought her other arm up to brace herself against the car. Though he was deeply concerned about his young charge and was ready to do anything and everything he could for her, he waited patiently for her to make the first move.

He heard a low, mirthless chuckle come from the raven-haired beauty, "…a life sentence," Rei said quietly as she shook her head, her voice heavy with cynicism, "No chains…no bars…no cell…but a prisoner nonetheless…serving a life sentence."

She turned her head to look at her bodyguard, her lavender eyes heavy with despair as a wet trail led from one of them down her pale cheek, "…and I agreed to it, Nobuo-san," she whispered, her smooth voice wavering. She pursed her lips and looked to the ground, "I signed my life away…Kami-sama, the _fucking_ irony…," she whispered.

Nobuo's heart broke seeing his young charge so distraught. He approached slowly, resting his hand on her shoulder comfortingly, "You didn't have a choice, Rei-sama," he said softly in his low, soothing tone, "You did what you had to do and what you thought was best at the ti-,"

His words were cut off as Rei suddenly pushed herself off the car and turned into his arms, causing him to take a slight step back from the force of her colliding into him. He was taken by surprise as she wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face into him as she continued to cry softly, "I'm just _so_ _fucking_ _sick_ of it, Nobuo-san," Rei whispered hopelessly through her tears, "I'm _so_ tired of pretending. I just feel… _so_ alone."

Nobuo softened at Rei's words. Though his young charge was usually so strong, so composed, even in her most trying moments, she was still a young woman just trying to make her way through a very difficult and complex life…and everyone has their breaking point. He enveloped the young archer into a comforting hug, "I know, Rei-sama," he said soothingly, "I know how hard it is for you."

He gently pulled away and brought his hand below Rei's chin to tilt her head up so their eyes met, "But you're not alone. You've got Aino-san, and Oji-sama, Haruka-sama and Michiru-sama and they all care about you and your happiness very much," he smiled softly as he brought his hand up to stroke her head, "And you have me. As long as I'm around, no matter what happens, I won't _ever_ let anything happen to you or Oji-sama or the shrine, ok?"

A small smile graced Rei's alluring lips as she felt Nobuo's comforting white aura flowing with Confidence, Determination, and Sincerity, "Mmn," Rei nodded, feeling a little better after being able to let her feelings out. She stepped closer to hug her bodyguard again, who returned her hug in kind, "Thank you, Nobuo-san," she said sincerely. She took a cleansing breath and chuckled softly, "Why couldn't _you_ have been my father, huh?" she asked half-jokingly to lighten the mood.

Rei's eyes widened slightly as she felt strands Regret, Sadness, and Longing ripple through Nobuo's white aura. Flashes of nostalgic visions passed quickly before her glazed eyes before they abruptly stopped as Nobuo ended the hug and pulled away, breaking the connection. He cleared his throat subtly and stepped around her to open the car door, "Shall I take you home or to Aino-san's place?"

Rei's intense amethyst eyes gazed sympathetically at Nobuo before she sighed and wiped her tears away with her hand, "Mina will be coming over to my place tonight."

"Your place it is then," Nobuo nodded with a kind smile as Rei gracefully got into the car and he shut the door behind her.

* * *

Rei's lavender eyes followed Nobuo as he went around the car. She sighed and shook her head disappointedly, _Baka, stubborn Nobuo-san_ , she thought sadly, _How different would things have been if you had just told Mama how you felt about her?_

 _ **Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...**_

Her thoughts were interrupted by her cellphone ringing in her purse. She quickly pulled out her phone to see who it was and her eyes lit up. She flipped her phone open and brought it up to her ear,

"Grandpa," Rei answered the phone warmly, "How are you?"

"Hello, my dear Reiko," her grandpa's raspy voice replied kindly, "I'm doing well, granddaughter, but perhaps I should be asking how _you_ are doing? My readings told me that today would be a particularly trying one for you?"

"Yeah," Rei half-chuckled, half-scoffed in reply as she reflected on the events of the day. She took a breath and let it out quickly, "Yeah, it was." She looked fondly towards her bodyguard through the rearview mirror as he drove them out of the garage, "But I'm better now," she continued reassuringly, "And I have Nobuo-san to thank for that. He stopped me from going off the deep-end more than once today."

"I'm glad he was there for you," her grandpa replied warmly, "Is he with you right now?"

"Mmn, he's driving me home," Rei said with a nod.

"Tell him I say 'hello' and that I found the recipe that I mentioned to him the other day," her grandpa replied.

"Mmn," Rei said as she moved the phone away from her ear to her shoulder, "Hey, Nobuo-san, Grandpa says 'hello' and that he has a recipe or something for you?"

Nobuo's chocolate-colored eyes darted to the rearview mirror briefly to look at his young charge before they returned to the road as he continued to drive, "Mmn," he nodded knowingly, "Tell Oji-sama 'hello' and I'll give him a call him once I'm home."

She raised her eyebrow suspiciously as she watched her bodyguard through the rearview mirror. She sensed a flash of something in his white aura that dissipated quickly before she was able to read it, "He says 'hi' and he'll call you later when he's home," Rei said into the phone as she brought it back to her ear.

"Wonderful, I also wanted to talk to you about coming to visit," her grandpa responded, changing the subject and bringing Rei's attention back to him, "I checked my calendar and it looks like this…Tuesday to...Friday would be best. I know it would be a short visit, but does that work with your schedule, Reiko?"

"Mmn, that's perfect, Grandpa," Rei replied eagerly. She softened as she thought about being home again, "I just really miss you," she said sincerely, "I can't wait to be home and to see you again."

"I miss you too, Reiko," her grandpa said fondly, "And I know the girls will be very excited to see you again."

Rei giggled as she thought about the twins, "I'll bring them something from Tokyo as a surprise."

"I'm sure they'd like that, my dear," her grandpa said kindly with a chuckle, "Ah, speaking of which," he said as if recalling something, "I have a few projects I need help with around the shrine while you visit. When we last spoke, I mentioned that you could bring a close friend to come with you to help out. Would that still be possible, Reiko?"

Rei rolled her eyes at her grandpa's inquiry. Yes, she _did_ remember the odd conversation she had with him. How could she not? It was also the day she met Minako. She already suspected at that time her clairvoyant grandpa may have already known about the gorgeous blonde. Now, from the feigned innocent, yet teasing tone she could trace in his raspy voice, she was _positive_ that he knew about Minako or at least that she had _someone_ in her life other than her 'older sisters' and bodyguard.

She knew he was just setting her up with his question. If she danced around the topic rather than come clean, not only would he find out eventually due to his advanced and diverse skills in fortune-telling, he would just end up playfully teasing her relentlessly about it later.

"I'm not sure if she can take the time off work, but I'll ask and see if she can come with me," Rei replied straightforwardly with a smirk.

"I look forward to meeting her," her grandpa said warmly with a hint of eager excitement in his tone. Rei raised an eyebrow at her grandpa's words and the tone in his raspy voice that seemed to imply Minako _would_ be coming, "Alright then, my dear. I will see you in a couple days."

"Mmn, see you soon," Rei replied warmly, "I love you, Grandpa."

"I love you too, Reiko," her grandpa replied sincerely, "I love you very much. Have a good night, my dear."

"Good night," Rei said before shutting her phone and placing it back in her purse.

* * *

Rei's grandpa pressed the switchhook on the old-school, rotary, landline telephone, ending the call with his beloved granddaughter. He closed his eyes tightly as his bushy grey eyebrows knitted together. He took a deep, almost shaky breath, fighting the emotions that wanted to surface, before he was able to bring himself back to center. His countenance turned serious as he released the switchhook and began quickly rotating the dial to call a number he knew by heart. Once he finished, he listened for the person to pick up on the other end.

"It has begun," Rei's grandpa said gravely once he heard the other line pickup. He listened for a moment as the person on the other line spoke, "No, it appears I've seen all that I can," he said with a defeated sigh.

He face softened, "Please, _I_ should be the one apologizing for putting such a burden on you, child. I'm sorry I don't have anymore information for you. But it's up to her now…and you. Guide her, but she must choose the path on her own, otherwise there will be no hope of saving her."

He began chuckling softly in response to what was said, "Of course she will, my dear." His voice turned to a comforting tone, "But have faith in her…and have faith in yourself. You're the only one who will be able to help see her through this."

He smiled softly, "I know you will, child. You always have," he replied sincerely.

He took a deep breath as tears began to form in his dark orbs, "As will I," he replied softly, his voice wavering slightly. He cleared his throat, composing himself, "But I'm sure I'll never be very far."

A content smile pulled at the corner of his lips, "Yes, until then…I love you too, my dear."

He brought the handset of the phone away from his ear and returned it gently to its cradle on the telephone base, ending the call. He sighed heavily as he walked down the hall towards a sliding, wooden door and opened it to the backyard. He slipped on a pair of wooden sandals, shut the sliding door behind him and went to sit on a simple, stone bench to read the stars in the night sky and take in the cool night air.

* * *

While Minako was packing her overnight bag, she felt a giddy excitement to see a certain devastatingly beautiful archer. Had it really only been just yesterday morning since she last saw her!? She suspected the anxiety she felt yesterday regarding their relationship, the worry throughout today from not hearing from Rei, then her panicked fiasco with her missing cellphone also made their time apart seem so much longer and tumultuous that it would have been under normal circumstances.

 _ **\- I try, but I can't seem to get myself to think of anything but you. Your breath on my face, your warm, gentle kiss, I taste the truth. I taste the truth.**_ _ **We know what I came here for, so I won't ask for more.**_ _ **I wanna be with you, if only for a night. To be the one who's in your arms, to hold you tight.**_ _**I wanna be with you.**_ _ **There's nothing more to say.**_ _ **There's nothing else I want more than to feel this way.**_ _ **I wanna be with you. -**_

As she was on the road headed towards Rei's condo, the music from her radio not reaching her ears, she slowly began to feel anxious. Even under _normal_ circumstances, their relationship still seemed uncertain to her. Though Rei _did_ ease some of her worries by confirming that they were ok before she left, and the time she spent with Karin talking out her concerns _did_ make her feel better and more secure, their situation was, undoubtedly, left unsettled.

Once she parked her car in a designated guest-parking spot at The Incendia and grabbed her overnight bag, she suddenly began to feel nervous. It was one thing to take time away for a bit and think objectively about their relationship, but it was very much another to face it and be back _in_ it again…especially with the one person she wanted nothing more than to be with and do anything in her power to not hurt.

 ** _Wrrrrrr…_**

The last time she saw the raven-haired beauty was the morning she left Rei's place, which was only on the heels of their intense conversation the night before. As she rode the elevator up to Rei's floor, she tried to imagine what it would be like to see her again after all that. What if seeing Rei again now turned out to be…awkward? What if these elephants that were beginning to pile up in their proverbial room were too much for their relationship to handle? What if…what if this was it for them?

She absently reached up and began worring the locket she had on her neck. She swallowed hard, keeping a surge of emotions that wanted to surface at bay. This was definitely uncharted territory for Minako and it made her insecure not knowing what to expect. More than anything, she didn't want to lose Rei.

 ** _Wrrrrrr…Ding!_**

She took a deep breath and let it out as she stepped out of the elevator and headed towards Rei's condo. No turning back now, Rei could probably sense her already. She tried to calm herself down as the sound of her own heartbeat began increasing in volume in her ears.

* * *

As she approached Rei's condo, she saw the door start to open. Putting on a smile, she began to greet the archer just beyond the door casually, attempting to hide her nerves, "Hi, bab-mmm!"

Her words were swallowed by fervent lips and a tongue that aggressively invaded her mouth. She inhaled the familiar scent of vanilla as strong arms wrap around her lithe body, one hand fisting the silky hair at the back of her head urgently as another pulled her closer to a familiar, toned form that seemed to fit hers perfectly in every way.

Minako's body responded before her mind caught up to what had just happened. Her eyes closed as she gave in, her tongue battled Rei's for dominance. She sucked at Rei's lower lip while her teeth grazed it needily. Her hands grasped desperately at the back of Rei's shirt, trying to pull her impossibly closer. Every breath that came from her alluring lips was laced with a desperate moan or gasp.

* * *

She didn't know how they ended up inside Rei's condo. She only realized it when Rei broke their fervent kiss to take a breath and her sapphire eyes fluttered open. Rei was panting heavily, her intense, hooded amethysts were burning as they stared at Minako hungrily, raking her being as if drinking all of her in. She could see the lust in them, could hear it in the heavy exhales of breath that hit her face due to their close proximity. What little space between them seemed to hum with the archer's desire for the gorgeous blonde, as if radiating off of her.

Minako's breath doubled in pace. The image made her insides ache for the beautiful archer, made her bite her lip in erotic anticipation. Words almost couldn't describe how much she wanted…no… _needed_ Rei to take her at that moment and satiate her own burning desires.

 _ **…**_ _ **clickclackclack…click, click, clack...**_

The sound of plastic buttons scattering loudly across the dark, bamboo floor seemed to echo through the condo. Minako's breath hitched, her cerulean eyes widened slightly with desire. Rei had swiftly brought her hands to the front of Minako's short-sleeved, button-up blouse and tore it open. She proceeded to rip the fabric off the gorgeous blonde's shoulders and down her arms, removing it completely, and quickly tossed it aside before she brought those perfect lips to Minako's creamy neck to capture the sensitive skin between her teeth.

"Aah!...Fuck," Minako moaned loudly in Rei's ear as her cobalt eyes rolled back before she closed them again. The sensation that shot from her neck straight down through her body made every nerve seem to come alive. The raven-haired woman reached up and tugged one end of the red bow holding that lustrous, golden mane in place. The thin piece of fabric gave way and slid to the ground as the archer wrapped her arms around the smaller woman tightly, holding her close. Minako's knees nearly gave way to collapse from erotic excitement and need. She quickly wrapped her arms around Rei's neck for stability, bringing one of her hands to back of Rei's head, silently urging her on. She could feel how ready she was to be taken by the beautiful raven-haired woman, how much she needed that mouth…that tongue that was now teasing the shell of her ear…to be somewhere else lower on her body.

* * *

She felt herself becoming weightless and instinctively brought her legs up to wrap around Rei's lithe body as the taller woman lifted her and began walking towards her bedroom. Rei continued with her ministrations, moving lower to drag her teeth across the skin just above Minako's breasts. Minako moaned and licked her lips in reaction. She felt herself beginning to rock her hips against the archer, desperately trying to satisfy the growing need between her legs.

She almost didn't notice one of Rei's hands on her back roughly unclipping her bra before she found herself swiftly falling backwards. A startled gasp escaped her as she landed on Rei's large bed, her head hitting the soft pillows, causing her eyes to open from the sudden impact.

She watched through hooded eyes as Rei sat up, pulling the bra off of her, and tossing it over the edge of the bed. Her cerulean eyes followed Rei as the taller woman crawled lower, her lavender gaze focused intensely on agile fingers as they made short work of undoing the clasp and zipper of Minako's skirt. As Rei hooked her fingers under the elastic of her underwear, Minako lifted herself from the bed slightly, allowing Rei to remove her skirt and underwear together in one swift motion and discard them over the edge of the bed as well.

"Aah! Oh my Gods!," Minako screaming. Her eyes shut tightly, unable to hold her gaze on the archer any longer as Rei moved to dip her tongue between Minako's wet folds and slip inside her. A low moan tumbled from Minako's lips as that tongue moved upwards to tease her sensitive mound of nerves. Rei's strong hands held Minako's hips firmly in place as Minako's back arched from the shockwaves of pleasure that rippled through her body in time with the movement of Rei's tongue. Minako couldn't stop the needy gasps and moans that continued to escape her parted lips in reaction to the sensations Rei was causing.

As Rei's lips enveloped the small mound and began sucking while her tongue continued to tease and flick at her relentlessly, Minako's hands desperately grasped the blankets beneath her.

"Fuck…Rei-chan…," she whimpered, her voice higher than it usually was, "I'm…I'm going to-," She couldn't finish her sentence as she came loudly, her body tensing and shaking from the force of her orgasm.

* * *

She slowly returned to herself, panting from the exertion. Her body continued to twitch slightly as Rei slowed and eased, but didn't stop, her tongue's movements. Minako's eyes fluttered open as a satisfied smile began to graced her alluring lips,

 _Well..._ _that_ _went_ _way_ _better than I thought!,_ she giggled to herself, referring to her earlier anxiety of what it would be like to see the devastatingly beautiful archer again. She could almost feel her fears being expelled from her through her orgasm, caused by a certain raven-haired beauty.

"Shit," she panted breathily, a soft melodic giggle punctuating the word. She brought her hands from the bed to rest over her chest, feeling her own heart beating hard just underneath the surface, "Gods, Rei-chan…That was…That was _fucking_ amaz-aah!"

Minako's azure eyes shut tightly as a loud gasp escaped her lips. Her head tilted back sharply, her hands flew above her head to grasp at the pillows fiercely. Her back arched off the bed due to the sudden, delicious sensation that shot through her. Rei had plunged her fingers deep into her, curling them inside of her, moving them in and out of her at an even pace that was slowly beginning to increase. The archer's mouth and tongue, which hadn't stopped their ministrations, began sucking and teasing her bundle of nerves in the same rhythm.

Still having not fully come down from her orgasm, the sudden addition of Rei's fingers inside of her, paired with the simultaneous, maddening, electric shocks that Rei's mouth was causing on her already sensitive bud, made Minako's mind almost shut down. Her body bucked as if urging on Rei's actions, trying to keep up with her increasing pace. An urgent and growing need began building inside of her again.

"Gods…fuck me, Rei-chan," Minako moaned desperately. She moved instinctively in response to what Rei was doing to her, savoring each intense bolt of pleasure that surged through her, working her back up to a second release.

"Please…don't stop," Minako gasps before swallowing hard. She could feel herself being pushed to the edge again, her muscles tightening in delicious anticipation. She turned her head to the side and brought a corner of the pillow to her mouth, biting it hard. She screamed loudly into it through her gritted teeth as she came for the second time. The intensity of this second orgasm was exponentially more than the first one, having been built upon its waves.

* * *

As she came down, all she could hear was the beating of her own heart pounding loudly in her ears. The edge of the pillow slowly slipped out from between her teeth as her muscles began to relax. She was panting heavily, her mind only able to think about one tragically beautiful, raven-haired woman who had just brought her to ecstasy for the second time in a row. She felt weightless, as if she were about to float away from herself in the wake of her intense orgasm. Laying bare and exposed, with nothing but this out-of-body feeling running through her, she needed something more than just her now loose grip on the pillows to anchor her back down to a world that was quickly disappearing from her consciousness.

She shuttered reflexively as Rei gave a final flick with her tongue before moving upwards. A soft moan came from the back of her throat as Rei began to leave a trail of kisses up her stomach. Her long hair felt like cool silk against Minako's warmed skin as the archer moved up her body. Minako turned her head and opened her eyes slightly to take in the sight of the taller woman kissing her way up her torso, her eyes closed in focused concentration.

As the archer reached the crook of Minako's neck and kissed up towards her ear, a delicate gasp escaped Minako's lips. Her sapphire eyes closed as she tilted her head upwards, providing Rei with more access to her sensitive skin.

Minako felt the beautiful, raven-haired woman gently settle herself down on top of her and Minako brought her shaking arms to wrap as best she could around the taller woman, grateful for the familiar weight that helped her to find solid footing again, literally and figuratively, in the real world.

She bit her lip as she heard Rei's wavering breath against her ear, panting softly. There was something so incredibly erotic about that particular sound. It was one Minako knew very well. She savored every time she heard it, cherished it even. It was a tell…a confirmation…that Minako was not the only one being affected during these intimate moments. Rei was being affected as well.

She was so taken by the sound, she didn't notice that the archer had moved her right arm underneath Minako's left leg, bringing her knee up to her chest, opening Minako up more.

"Mina," Rei breathed, her smooth voice was low and laced with desire, "I'm not done with you yet."

"Aah!," Minako gasped needily as she tried to curl into herself but was prevented by Rei's form holding her down. She could only manage to bring her forehead to Rei's shoulder, her arms tightened around the taller woman above her in reaction to a different sensation that was taking over her being. With her legs opened wider, Rei had added a third finger and pushed them firmly and deeply into her, curling them when she was fully inside, pulling out in a steady pace, only to repeat the process.

Minako started to feel herself wanting more… _needing_ more…and she brought her other leg up to wrap possessively around the woman pinning her down. Her fingers grasped tightly at the fabric of Rei's shirt. She no longer had control over her traitorous body as it moved without her permission and found a rhythm that matched Rei's thrusts. She was powerless, hopelessly at the mercy of Rei's fingers as they continued to draw passionate moans and gasps from her lips.

Gods...was Rei trying to kill her!? She hadn't even come down fully yet from her first two orgasms, she couldn't _believe_ Rei was pulling her to the edge of ecstasy yet again! Her mind was having trouble forming coherent thoughts, only able to focus on sensations.

As Rei's pace quickened, Minako let out a soft moan of pleasure, silently begging Rei to continue and give her what she so desperately needed. She felt her muscles beginning to tighten again in response to the overwhelming urge that was building inside of her.

"Rei-chan…," was all Minako was able to whisper breathily before her head jerked back suddenly as an impassioned scream tore from her lips. Her back arched into the archer, her arms and legs clenched around her, holding her in a vice grip as her body erupted with heat and she came loudly for a third time in a row.

* * *

As the world around her disappeared into nothingness, as she fell headlong into an altered state of consciousness while her body convulsed and rode a tidal wave of ecstasy towards an indescribable peak, somewhere in the distance, Minako heard a soft gasp tumble from a familiar, smooth voice. It served to prolong and add to Minako's already earth-shattering orgasm that seemed to never end.

She crashing back into herself as she came down, trying desperately hard to remember how to breathe as the world began slowly returning to her. Her body tensed again slightly and she let out a delicate whimper as she felt Rei's fingers slip slowly out of her, releasing their hold on her, returning what little control was left of her body back to her. She almost thought she had lost the ability to move her limbs before her muscles slowly began relaxing on their own and she was finally able to release her death grip around Rei's body.

She felt Rei shift above her then, gently untangled herself from Minako so she could bring her hand up to her mouth and clean her fingers. Minako was unable to open her eyes due to her exhaustion, but she could hear the archer's soft panting, could feel the bed shaking slightly under Rei's movements, which weren't as smooth and controlled as they usually were. Minako could tell that Rei was having a little difficulty balancing and finding stability while hovering over her.

If Minako had the energy to do so, she would have smiled to herself. It seems she wasn't the only one exerting herself during this passionate session of theirs.

She felt herself being gently turned as Rei rolled off of her and carefully pulled her close so the smaller woman was enveloped within her arms. Minako wanted to curl up into the taller woman, to be immersed within her warmth, but found she only had the strength to nuzzled her face gently into the crook of Rei's neck, taking in her comforting, vanilla scent. Rei responded by scooting closer so they were pressed up against each other.

"I missed you, Mina," Rei whispered softly to the gorgeous blonde she was holding tenderly in her arms. She inhaled Minako's intoxicating strawberry scent before placing an endearing kiss on the top of her head, "I missed you so much."

Though Rei's words were simple, Minako could almost feel the depth of her emotions in them. Tears began forming behind Minako's closed eyelids in response. Having no energy to hold them back, she allowed them to slowly trickle down her flushed cheeks as she leaned up and softly kissed Rei's neck, silently letting the beautiful, raven-haired woman know that she felt the same way.

She knew now, was more confident than ever, that whatever this was, this undefinable thing between her and Rei, with all of its flaws and complications...that they would make it work. No matter what obstacles they had to overcome within themselves or with each other, as long as they were together...as long as she was with her...everything would be ok.

* * *

Rei smiled softly as she felt a calm sense of Confidence develop within Minako's aura. She held her closer as she felt it begin to turn into that soft, gentle flame she cherished so much. She sighed contently, enjoying its warmth, before they both slipped into a much needed, deep sleep.

* * *

 **Author Note:** I grew up using a rotary phone in my house. I miss the way they feel and sound when you dialed someone's number. Using a touch screen to dial like they have on these newfangled smartphones is definitely not the same!

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 06/2015)


	31. Chapter 31

If you're just tuning in, here's a recap of my aside from Chapter 1: "I had some trouble with my previous account and ended up having to abandon it and create this new one in order to continue this story. Thus, this story was removed from that defunct account and is being re-posted / continued using this account...All the A/Ns and content of this story from Chapter 1 to where we left off at the end of Chapter 30 is as how it first appeared when it was posted through the old account. Please bear with me as I meticulously go through and re-upload them all again before posting Ch 31 and any new chapters -_-;; (07/2015)"

And, finally, here we are! All caught up and now on to the continuation of this story! Below are the original A/Ns I wrote for this chapter before I had to dump my old account in favor of this new account. The A/Ns at the end of this chapter are post-account change.

* * *

 **Author Note:** A reviewer asked if I planned on updating this story on a weekly basis. When I first started posting it in 2013, I had enough already written to post a chapter every Sunday. Sometimes I was able to post more than one chapter at a time with how much I had already written before making it public!

Now, the story has finally caught up to my writing and I'm basically flying blind. I have a direction and a loose outline of where this story will go and what will happen between now and the last chapter, but nothing's been written outside of what is kept in the space between my ears =P:::

Right after I finished and posted Chapter 30 last month, I immediately began writing this chapter…and spent four days writing, re-writing, trashing, and starting over the first three paragraphs -_-;; Once I finally had the direction I wanted, life just got busy! So I apologize for how long it took for this chapter to post and it warms my heart to know that some of you are still sticking around regardless ^_^ Thank you for that!

Speaking of which, I feel I might have subconsciously written this chapter to mirror how busy I was while I wrote it: So much happening in so little time! But it's important for what's to come ;)

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Hodges, D. and Perri, C. (2011). _A Thousand Years, Pt. 2_ [Recorded by Christina Perri and Steve Kazee]. On The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [CD], New York, New York and South Pasadena, California: Atlantic Records and Chop Shop Records.

* * *

 **Chapter 31:**

Pale eyelids slowly opened to reveal rare, amethyst eyes underneath. Rei was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom. She noticed that she had found her way underneath the covers in her sleep. She readjusted and turned to her side, her intense lavenders softening as the image of the most beautiful woman in the world filled her vision.

Minako was also under the covers, sound asleep, lying on her stomach, her angelic face turned towards Rei, her dimmed, orange-gold aura glowing softly around her lithe form. If Rei was awake, it meant it had to be around 5:00am in the morning, still too early for Minako to wake up and prepare for work.

She smiled softly as she silently admired the gorgeous blonde before her. The way her delicate hand was curled up near her face, how her creamy shoulder rose and fell in time with her steady, deep breaths, even the way her long, silky hair rested the length of her back was the image of perfection. She almost couldn't believe that such a person existed, was currently in her bed, sleeping peacefully next to her.

Rei brought her hand up to lightly stroke Minako's cheek with the back of her fingers. She closed her eyes and sighed contently as she began feeling Minako's warm aura flow into her through their contact.

The state of Minako's aura as it was now was a much welcome change from what Rei sensed last night. It was gentle, calm, soothing. When the makeup artist was heading up the elevator and making her way towards Rei's condo, the archer found herself almost shivering from the intense Worry, Anxiety, Apprehension, and Fear that was radiating from it. She suspected the gorgeous blonde was concerned about how their reunion would turn out in the wake of their last time being together. Rei wanted nothing more than to quell those fears and expel them from that warm, orange-gold glow that she adored so much.

She had a feeling merely _talking_ it out with Minako, who already had difficulties dealing with her emotions, wouldn't be enough to soothe the smaller woman's anxieties…could potentially turn them into self-fulfilling prophecies…possibly causing Minako to pull away. Rei didn't want that… _couldn't_ _have_ that. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Minako…at least not without a fair fight.

As the makeup artist approached her door, Rei came to a decision. Knowing how attune Minako was to her body, instead of trying to reach her with words, she decided she would communicate in a way she thought Minako would understand. There wouldn't be any confusion, no room for misinterpretation, and Rei knew _exactly_ how to reach the gorgeous blonde in _that_ way, having had _quite_ a bit of practice since they first met.

A soft smile graced her lips at the memory of last night. It seemed to work. Rei could sense Minako's Insecurities and Apprehensions dissolve away, leaving her body through orange-gold rays while she came that first time.

The second time… was really just for good measure. Yes, Rei wanted to convey to the gorgeous blonde that she had no doubts about their relationship, was confident in what they had, and that they would be ok…but she also just miss her princess, plain and simple. She enjoyed making Minako come, enjoyed bringing her to unbridaled ecstasy, reveling in the fact that _she_ was the cause of her pleasure. She was just taking the opportunity to _show_ Minako how _sorely_ she was missed.

She opened her intense lavenders and looked at Minako musingly, her heart aching at the sight of such beauty. When Rei first met the gorgeous makeup artist over a week ago, she was already on sabbatical from her contract with the company. Since then she felt…happy…normal…free. She almost dared to dream of what such a life could be like, could almost picture what kind of future this parallel universe had in store…

Until she was abruptly reminded of her shackles at the gala last night. Rei felt like she was slapped in the face, was nearly claustrophobic by how utterly trapped she really was. For someone who was always so on top of her game, so put together…she felt so naïve, so foolish for even entertaining the notion of such fantasies. She was rattled, to say the least.

As she sat in her condo, waiting for Minako to arrive, she had time to reflect on her situation. Never was it so hard for her to hold it together in public or around her detestable father as it was at the gala. How the _fuck_ had she survived the last four years!? She could _barely_ keep it together for just a couple measily hours!

She knew the answer to that question, was now gently combing her fingers through its long, golden hair.

Back then, she felt so utterly alone. Sure, her grandpa, Haruka, Michiru, and even Nobuo were there, but even they were enmeshed in her despicably twisted fate, outlined and dictated by her contract. She didn't know any better, accepted her life for what it was, going through the motions, resigning herself to the fact that she would perhaps live the rest of her days like that, just out of arms reach from anyone she cared for and anything she ever wanted.

Now, everything seemed to begin and end with Minako. In this life of hers that was full of bullshit, façade, hopelessness, distance, loss, pain, and loneliness…this thing between them, this indescribably magnetic relationship…had become Rei's saving grace. Even with all of its hurdles and imperfections, it was the only thing that was truly pure and real in her life, unmarred and untouched by the harsh realities of her situation. It was hers…theirs, really…and theirs alone.

As Rei kissed up Minako's body last night after bringing her to euphoric bliss a second time, she initially intended on just cuddling with the smaller woman, to hold her close and comfort her down from the force of her orgasms. But, as more of her body came closer to the smaller woman beneath her, she began feeling that intense, orange-gold aura seep into her. There was nothing like it in the world, the feeling of Minako's aura. It was calming, comforting, had a way of instantly making her relax, quieting her turbulent mind. It was like meditating, but warmer. She found herself craving it… _needing_ it…wanting to _drown_ herself in it…to leave all that she was behind and fall into its intensity. That third time…wasn't for Minako…it was for Rei.

Yes, Rei _did_ miss her, had told her so before they fell asleep. But what she meant was that she missed feeling safe, feeling at home, being with the one she loved. And, after last night, Rei was finally able to admit to herself what her heart had known from the start. There was no question about it now, no shred of doubt in her mind…she was absolutely, hopelessly, whole-heartedly…in love with Minako.

* * *

The gorgeous blonde took a deep intake of breath through her nose and Rei began noticing her orange-gold aura brightening slightly. Having been coaxed from slumber by the feeling of her hair being gently combed by slender fingers, her cobalt eyes slowly opened to find soft, lavender eyes looking back at her apologetically,

"Sorry," Rei whispered softly, a hint of concern underlying her tone, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Mmmm-it's ok," Minako hummed lazily in response as she began fully waking up. A gentle smile pulled at the corner of her alluring lips.

"Go back to sleep," Rei encouraged softly, "I know how exhausted you were last night."

"And whose fault is that, Hino-san?," Minako challenged softly with a playfully tone, raising a delicate eyebrow at the taller woman.

A blush tinted Rei's pale cheeks as she looked away bashfully. A soft, melodic giggle came from Minako at Rei's expense as she readjusted to turn to her side and face the beautiful archer, "I'm just teasing, Rei-chan. If I try going back to sleep now, I might not be able to wake up again later for work. So I might as well stay up."

Rei looked back at the smaller woman shyly and found Minako's soft, cerulean gaze looking back at her with adoration. Rei smiled softly, "Good morning, princess," she whispered warmly.

A soft blush tinted Minako's cheeks, "Good morning, baby," she whispered endearingly in response. She scooted closer and snuggled up against the taller woman, wrapping an arm around the raven-haired woman's waist. She began remembered some of the highlights from the night before, "Gods, Rei-chan," she sighed happily, squeezing the taller woman gently, "Maybe I should stay away more often if _that's_ what I get to look forward to when I see you again," she teased giggling playfully.

Rei brought her arms up to hold Minako close, "I don't want to be apart from you unless absolutely necessary ever again," she said quietly with a pensive tone.

Minako was surprised by Rei's sudden change in demeanor. Becoming worried, she gently broke out of Rei's embrace to look up at the beautiful woman, finding troubled amethysts looking back at her.

"Baby," she said softly with concern as she brought her hand up to cup Rei's cheek, "What's wrong?"

Minako watched as Rei closed her eyes and leaned into her touch. The archer brought her hand up to caress Minako's hand, turning her head to place a kiss in the palm of it before bringing it down to hold it close to her chest.

Rei slowly opened her intense amethysts, meeting Minako's concerned sapphires, "Mina…about last night," she began softly. She wanted to explain, to tell Minako about her trying events at the gala, and how it made her realize her true feelings for the gorgeous blonde.

But she feared how Minako would react to such a confession. She decided to keep her feelings to herself for now. She sighed almost defeatedly, "Let's just say…I needed that just as much as you did."

Minako's worried cerulean eyes searched Rei's face. Her words, how sad her intense amethysts were, the way she held her hand as if she were afraid Minako would take it away…the makeup artist couldn't help but wonder what could possibly have shaken Rei this much. Questions began forming in her mind as to whether something happened at the gala last night.

Rei could tell from Minako's aura that she wanted a more detailed explanation. She knew if the smaller woman asked, she wouldn't be able to keep it from her. She closed her eyes and leaned in to kiss Minako's soft lips, hoping to dispel the gorgeous blonde's concerns and hide her own.

Unable to resist Rei's lips, Minako closed her eyes and kissed her back gently. She could feel there was something different about this kiss. It almost seemed as if Rei was looking for comfort within it, wanting to quiet some internal struggle. Minako wanted nothing more than to soothe the taller woman's anxieties away, to comfort her and let her know she was safe. She tried to convey that to the taller woman, let her know in her own way that she was here for her.

When the kiss ended, both women sighed contently and opened their eyes at the same time, becoming lost in each other's gaze.

"I missed you too, Rei-chan," Minako said softly after a while, her sapphire eyes taking in Rei's beautiful countenance.

Rei smiled as she felt Minako's warm aura filling her with its comforting, protective glow. She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman in response, bringing her closer. Minako also brought her arm up to hold the taller woman close and they both cuddled into each other in content silence, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's embrace.

* * *

After a moment, as Rei held Minako's warm, nude form within her arms, a thought entered Rei's mind and she chuckled softly to herself, "I believe I owe you a shirt, Aino-san."

Minako blinked a couple times before she realized what the taller woman was referring to. She let out a melodic giggle, comforted by the knowledge that Rei must be feeling better if she was able to joke around again, "Yes, you do, Hino-san," she replied teasingly with a nod. She pulled away slightly to look up at the taller woman, "I'll have you know, I really liked that blouse, too."

"S-Sorry," Rei replied apologetically as she blushed slightly.

"It's ok, don't be," Minako giggled as she shook her head. Her azure eyes happened to wander down past the beautiful woman's neck and a thought came to her. She brought her hand up to tug gently on the collar of Rei's red t-shirt,

"Can I…Can I have this one?," she asked timidly.

Rei eyed Minako with a puzzled look, "…Really? You want _this_ shirt?," she asked in confusion.

"Mmn," Minako replied with a shy nod, "It's the one you wore that first night I came over." A soft blush painted her creamy cheeks, "And…after last night…I think it's become my favorite."

Rei was silent for a moment, as if contemplating Minako's request. Without a word, she gently broke out of Minako's embrace and rolled away, sitting up once she got to the edge of the bed. Minako, surprised by Rei's reaction, watched in stunned silence as the beautiful woman push herself off the bed and went to her walk-in closet, closing the door softly behind her once she was inside.

Minako came back to her senses as the closet door shut behind Rei. Her heart broke guiltily at the thought of making the beautiful, raven-haired woman _so_ uncomfortable she ended up shutting herself away.

"I…I'm sorry, Rei-chan," Minako called towards the closet door once she found her voice. She began sliding herself towards the edge of the bed, "I didn't mean to make you upset, I just-"

Her words were cut short as the closet door opened again. Her breath hitched, her sapphire eyes widened, and her jaw dropped in shock. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

* * *

Rei shut the closet door softly behind her as she returned to the bedroom. Her pale cheeks were tinted pink with a blush as her intense lavenders stared intently at the floor in front of her. She still had on the grey, satin pants she wore to bed, but she was now timidly holding her red t-shirt in her hand. On her top, she wore a simple, pale-blue bra that she had put on after taking her shirt off.

Minako stared in awed silence, openly gaping at the beautiful archer, taking in the sight before her. Rei was absolutely gorgeous. Her toned form, her pale skin, every inch of her was…incredible.

A part of her desperately wanted to go to Rei, to reach out and touch the raven-haired woman, feel that soft, pale skin beneath her fingers. She wanted to feel that toned form pressed up against her own, wanted to feel its warmth against her lips, see what it tasted like on her tongue.

But another part of her was absolutely terrified. Knowing how Rei reacted the last time she touched her, she feared how Rei would respond with so much of herself exposed. This in itself made her stay perfectly still, allowing only her cobalt eyes to take in the devastatingly beautiful woman before her. She found herself mesmerized, frozen in place as she drank in Rei's perfect image, memorizing how her body moved as the taller woman began walking towards her.

* * *

Rei hesitantly approached the bed, her nervous gaze still trained on the floor. She could sense Minako's aura flickering with Wonderment, could practically feel her cerulean gaze on her as she neared. It made her self-conscious, caused her cheeks to darken with a deep blush.

Once she got to the edge of the bed, she held up the red shirt to the gorgeous blond, "Here," Rei said timidly, her smooth voice wavering with a hint of nervousness in her tone, "I…I want you to have it."

Minako's cerulean eyes softened. She could tell how nervous the beautiful woman was, how much she was willing to trust her to put herself in such a position,

"Mmn," Minako nodded softly. Without taking her azure eyes away from Rei's beautiful face, she slowly reached up and took the shirt from Rei's hand, carefully pulling it away, "Thank you," she whispered, sincerity underlying her tone.

Rei nodded slightly in response. After a moment, she took a deep, hesitant breath to steady herself. She exhaled slowly as her intense amethysts finally found the courage to look up towards Minako's face. Sapphire eyes immediately locked onto hers. They were filled with unspoken questions, searching for answers. She could see the warring emotions in Minako's aura: Nervousness, Confusion, Desire, Reverence, Fear. She could tell Minako didn't know exactly what to make of this situation.

Rei didn't know either. But, after last night, after realizing just how much she truly needed the gorgeous blonde in her life, she wanted to give some of herself to Minako, to trust her and allow herself to be vulnerable…or at least try.

This was a test and she silently prayed to Kami-sama for the strength to pass it.

"Mina," Rei whispered nervously, "I…I want to try…," she looked away, unable to hold Minako's gaze, "But…but I'm…," she couldn't finish her sentence, the boldness she initially had suddenly abandoning her. Though this was entirely her idea, it didn't make the act any easier to execute. She instinctively brought her arms up to try and cover her exposed torso.

She felt a gentle hand rest on one of her arms, stilling her movements. She found herself relaxing reflexively as comforting, orange-gold colors began flowing into her,

"It's ok, Rei-chan," Minako said softly. She had moved to the edge of the bed in front of Rei, being careful not to touch the taller woman's exposed upper-half other than her hand resting on her arm, "Whatever you need, I'm right here."

Rei lifted her eyes and found breathtaking sapphires staring sincerely up at her. Being so taken by Minako's words, the way she looked at her, the way she touched her, the way her aura calmed her and made her feel so safe, Rei found the strength to continue. She silently brought her hands up to cup Minako's face, tilting her head back so she could lean in to capture Minako's lips in a gentle kiss.

* * *

The gorgeous blonde's eyelids fell closed as Rei's lips met her own. She allowed Rei to take the lead, her body obeying as Rei's hands slid softly down the sides of her neck to her shoulders, guiding her to lay back down on the bed.

As the kiss deepened, Minako could feel her heart beginning to race as Rei carefully crawled on top of her, straddled her on her hands and knees, hovering over her.

Though Minako continued to kiss the devastatingly beautiful woman, she found herself at a loss. The archer had practically trapped her without touching her. Having Rei this close to her, her body only inches away, feeling the heat from her pale skin on her own…it was torturous! She gripped the sheets beneath her hard, desperately trying to stave off the desire to reach up and touch the taller woman for fear of what might happen to her.

"Mina," she heard Rei's smooth voice whisper as she gently ended the kiss, her warm breath tickling Minako's lips, "Touch me."

Minako's breath hitched as her sapphire eyes opened….Did Rei just say what she thought she said?

The gorgeous blonde didn't move, unsure of whether to comply. She didn't want to hurt Rei, didn't want her to fall victim to her demons and possibly be unable to recover. She _especially_ didn't want to be the one to cause that.

"Rei-chan," Minako whispered, concern weighing heavily in her voice, "Are you sure?"

Her eyelids fluttered slightly as a delicate gasp escaped her, bringing her away from her thoughts as Rei's tongue gently slid teasingly across her upper lip in response, "Mmn," Rei whispered as she nodded and opened her lavender eyes slightly, capturing Minako's attention.

Minako held Rei's hooded gaze hesitantly for a moment. She could see there was a mix of hope and conviction in them as they looked back at her with silent encouragement. As she continued to search them with uncertainty, she began seeing a hint of apprehension starting to develop within them, "Please, Mina," Rei pleaded softly, "I…I want us to try."

Realization suddenly dawned on the gorgeous blonde at Rei's words. Though this was all Rei's idea, the gorgeous blonde began to understand now that, to some extent, Rei was depending on her to help her navigate safely through this. The archer would most certainly be relying on her aura as she had before, using it to focus and anchor herself, keeping her from slipping into darkness. She suspected Rei was probably reading and feeling it at this very moment, which could explain the traces of trepidation that she noticed beginning to develop within those intense lavenders as Minako herself was beginning to develop uncertainty from the archer's request.

In that moment, Minako knew what she needed to do. If Rei was willing to trust Minako this much, willing to put herself at such risk, Minako would have to be just as confident going into this and trust that the beautiful raven would tell her if things went too far.

Her azure eyes softened as she focused her thoughts soley on the woman above her, how much she adored everything about her, how much she needed her in her life, and how much she wanted to protect her and keep her safe.

* * *

Rei watched as Minako's aura morphing into that wonderful, gentle flame that she treasured and held so dear. There was something different about it this time. It was stronger than usual, had an essence to it that was so utterly captivating and inviting in the depth of its glow. It made Rei want to explore it, know more of it.

Her breath hitched as she felt it beginning to seep into her through her right cheek where Minako had reached up to caress it endearingly. The dept of its intensity pulled all of Rei's attention towards it, causing her eyes to fall closed.

The beautiful archer followed it with her senses as it slowly traveled down her neck. She tilted her head submissively to the side, offering more of herself to that gentle flame, wanting it to wash over every inch of her skin. A soft moan came from the back of her throat and her body flexed in response to more of that intoxicating flame seeping into her through her left hip.

* * *

Minako's sapphire eyes were trained on Rei as she watched the archer react to her touch, savoring the delicate noises that purred softly out of her. The taller woman seemed lost in her own world, melting under Minako's fingertips.

Gods…Rei was so painfully beautiful this way. The gorgeous blonde bit her lip as Rei's body rolled sensually, as if trying to meet Minako's hands as one began gliding down slowly over her chest, the other sliding upwards, following the outline of her perfect form.

The archer opened her hooded amethysts, locking onto Minako's cobalts. The smaller woman noticed that they were slightly hazy and a touch darker than usual. They had an intense depth to them that Minako couldn't describe. It felt as if the taller woman was revealing something so deeply personal and secret within them.

She stilled her hands in response, unable to focus on anything else but the color of those seemingly endless lavender pools. It frightened her a bit, but she couldn't help but become hypnotized by their intensity. She felt her heart being pulled in a way she never felt before, as though those bewitching violets were drawing it towards the devastatingly beautiful woman who seemed to capture her very existence.

Minako swallowed, managing to come back to herself for a brief moment, "You ok, baby?," she whisper breathily. She didn't notice until now that her breath had become slightly ragged, reacting to the intensity of whatever this was that was happening between them.

* * *

Every ounce of Rei's attention was being held hostage by that soft, yet intense, orange-gold flame that was flowing through her. She felt herself submitting to it, succumbing to its power, offering herself as sacrifice to it. She would do absolutely anything if only to feel more of that delicate flame consume her very being. It ignited sensations within her she never felt before, sparked an urge that began growing deep inside her for the blonde goddess beneath her.

"Mina," Rei moaned reverently. Her voice was deeper, breathier than usual, and it managed to tug firmly at Minako's heart. The taller woman leaned in to capture Minako's lips again in a deep kiss.

* * *

Minako sighed longingly into the archer's mouth as she felt the beautiful woman begin to lower herself on top of her, their skin coming into contact. The gorgeous blonde carefully slid her hands to wrap around the taller woman as they continued to kiss, memorized the feeling of that incredibly toned physique as she held her close.

"Rei-chan," she gasped softly in between kisses as she took in the warmth and feeling of Rei's body as it moved above her. The rush of emotions that came to her for the raven-haired beauty was almost unbearable. To finally be so close to this woman who she had come to care so much for, to be able to touch her after wanting it for so long…it was extraordinary.

As Minako explored Rei's back, she found herself wanting to feel more of it, unobstructed. She brought her left hand up and gently tugged at the hooks of Rei's bra, unclipping it in one smooth movement. Without any more barriers, she began running her hands smoothing along the length of Rei's upper-body. The beautiful raven-haired woman gasped softly in reaction, her back arching slightly into Minako's hands as they passed over her sensitive skin, causing the straps of her bra to fall away to her sides.

Minako let out a low moan in response. The sounds that Rei was making, the way her toned body seemed to submit to her every touch, it was doing unbelievable things to her. She found herself wanting to hear more of those sounds, feel more of Rei's body…bring her to indescribable ecstasy as she had done to Minako last night.

But, more than anything, Minako wanted to express her intense emotions for the beautiful raven, impart them onto her lithe body, convey them in the only way she knew for certain how.

* * *

Between those enticing lips, that soft flame that was now coursing through every corner of her, enveloping her being, and the surge of emotions that were being siphoned into her, blending with her own, Rei had nearly lost herself completely…

Until she felt something that abruptly pulled her attention away from it all.

* * *

Minako's right hand slowly, purposefully, slid down Rei's back and began tracing the waistband of her satin pants. Her fingertips slid underneath the elastic and began gliding slowly along its edge, around Rei's hip, following it towards Rei's front.

Rei hiss slightly, abruptly ending their kiss as she sucked in air between her teeth. The sound caused Minako to stop her movements, her sapphire eyes shooting open. She could feel Rei's body flinch and tense reflexively against her,

"T-Too much. Too much, Mina," Rei stammered as she dropped her forehead to Minako's shoulder, her breath beginning to become erratic.

Minako quickly brought her arms up to wrap protectively around Rei, willing her to come back to her. Her heart broke as she felt the taller woman beginning to shake within her arms. She brought a hand up to gently stroke Rei's hair comfortingly, placing a lingering kiss on the side of her head.

She hated how helpless she felt but did her best to remain calm for the beautiful archer. Her mind raced as she tried to think of something she could do to help keep Rei from slipping further into a full-blown panic attack.

Without knowing what else to do, she began to sing softly to at least let Rei know she was still there, praying to the Gods with all she had that she would be able to reach the beautiful woman who was lying on top of her and fading quickly.

 ** _\- Time stands still_** ** _._** ** _Beauty in all she is_** ** _._** ** _I will be brave_** ** _._** ** _I will not let anything take away_** ** _what's standing in front of me._** ** _Every breath, every hour has come to this. One step closer. -_**

Her voice quivered slightly. She was unsure of whether she was more comforting Rei or herself at this point. After a moment, she began to feel Rei's body beginning to relax. Her breath gradually slowed and became deeper. Encouraged by this, Minako continued to sing softly as she held the taller woman closer, combing her fingers gently through her silky, raven-colored tresses.

As Minako ended the song, Rei's breaths had slowed to the meditative breathing she usually did to calm and center herself.

Minako stayed silent for a moment, waiting for any sort of response from Rei, hoping she was ok. She felt Rei take a deep, cleansing breath and let it out slowly before she felt the archer tilt her head up to softly nuzzling her face into the side of her neck, "I like hearing you sing, Mina," Rei sighed contently, taking in the distinct strawberry scent of the smaller woman beneath her. She placing a gentle kiss on Minako's neck, "You have such a beautiful voice."

Minako sighed softly as she held the taller woman closer, "Usa-neechan used to sing to me whenever I was scared," she explained quietly. She let out a soft chuckle as she thought of her older sister, "She's not the best singer in the world, but it always helped to calm me down."

Rei chuckled softly in response. Though she could feel a hint of Relief beginning to form in Minako's aura, it still flickering heavily with Sadness, Concern, and Guilt,

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan," Minako whispered, her melodic voice filled with remorse.

"Don't be," Rei replied reassuringly, "It's ok. I'm alright, now."

Minako shook her head guiltily, "I'm always hurting you."

"No, Mina," Rei replied soothingly as she cuddled closer to the gorgeous blonde beneath her, "You're always saving me. Just look where we are right now."

Being so caught up with worry about Rei's well-being, Minako had forgotten the position they were currently in. The beautiful archer was practically topless within her arms, snuggling close to her and seemingly ok with being that way.

"I really liked when you touched me. I don't want you to think that I didn't," Rei continued, trying to ease Minako's worries "It was different this time. It was...it was so…wow…," she sighed with subtle amazement, unable to describe just how incredible the experience was, "And it _is_ getting a lot easier being close to you. It feels nice."

A soft blush formed on her pale cheeks, "I guess I'm…I'm just not ready…to go _all_ the way. At least not yet. _"_

"Mmn," Minako nodded in acknowledgement. She turned to place a comforting kiss on Rei's forehead, smiling to herself as she heard a satisfied sigh come from the raven-haired woman in response. She sighed contently, "Thank you, Rei-chan."

"For what?," Rei asked curiously.

"For being honest with me…for trusting me," Minako replied as she gently stroked Rei's raven-colored tresses, "I'm really glad you're ok." She smiled softly as she allowed herself to take in the moment and enjoy being able to hold the woman she had come to feel so strongly for close to her.

Rei smiled softly as she allowed herself to be cuddled by the smaller woman, satisfied with the feeling of her warm, orange-gold aura shifting to a much calmer state as the heavy emotions began dissipating from its glow.

* * *

They stayed that way for a moment, reveling in the feeling of being so close to each other for the first time before Rei spoke up, "You should get up otherwise you'll be late for work."

Minako let out a despondent groan. She didn't want to leave, didn't want to be separated from Rei, not after being able to get so close to her.

"I know," Rei chuckled softly in response, "I feel the same way. Sorry for being a buzz-kill."

"No, you're right," Minako conceded with a disappointed sigh. She carefully slid her hands towards the sides of the archer's back, applying just enough pressure with her hands to let the beautiful raven know what her intentions were and where they were moving so as not to startle her. She carefully found the ends of Rei's pale-blue bra straps and brought them up around the beautiful archer's toned back to fasten them together again.

"Thanks," Rei said sincerely once Minako had finished. She placed a chaste kiss on Minako's cheek before bringing herself up to her hands and knees again, gently breaking out of Minako's embrace, sighing subtly with disappointment at having to be separated from the gorgeous blonde. She carefully rolled off of the smaller woman and sat up at the edge of the bed as Minako brought herself up to a sitting position next to her.

The archer pushed herself off the bed and turned to face Minako, holding her hands out to help pull the gorgeous blonde out of bed, "C'mon, naked child, up and at 'em."

Minako let out a reluctant whimper in response. She tilted her head to the side as she looked up at Rei with big, pleading, azure, puppy-dog eyes. Her alluring lips sported an adorable pout, "Can't I just call in sick and stay in bed with you all day?," she whined playfully.

Rei smiled mischievously, a sly glint flashing in her rare, lavender eyes.

"Ah! Rei-chan!," Minako yelped in a high-pitched, startled voice. In one swift motion, Rei had scooped Minako out of bed and into her arms, bridal-style. Minako reflexively wrapped her arms tightly around Rei's neck in surprise as the beautiful raven turned and headed towards the bathroom.

"Alright, alright! I'm up, I'm up!," Minako insisted as she giggled. She was blushing madly at the situation, kicking her legs playfully, half-heartedly trying to get the archer to put her down.

"I don't knooow, Minaaa," Rei sang in an exaggeratedly skeptical tone. She pushed the bathroom door open with her foot and walked in, "You _do_ feel kind of warm," she said with feigned concern as she leaned her forehead into Minako's, pretending to gauge her temperature from the contact, "And you look a little flushed. Maybe you _are_ getting sick. Perhaps a nice, cold shower will make you feel better."

"No! Rei-chan! Don't you dare!," Minako half-laughed and half-yelled in panic. She shut her eyes tightly and tucked her head into Rei's pale shoulder, burying her face into it. She tightened her grip around Rei's neck and tried to curl up as close to her as possible. If Rei was going to throw her into a cold shower, she wouldn't go down without a fight.

Rei felt a playful Panic surge through Minako's aura and a brief vision flashed before her lavender eyes. She let out a full laugh and stopped in the middle of the bathroom.

"Mou, Minako! You're _seriously_ scheming on how to drag me in with you if I threw you into a cold shower!?," Rei laughed in amazed astonishment.

"Hey! No fair reading my thoughts!," Minako pouted playfully, which made Rei continue to laugh wholeheartedly.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it with how close we are," Rei giggled apologetically as her laughter died down. She turned and kissed Minako on the forehead, "You're a fighter, Mina. I like that about you."

Minako blushed bashfully as she continued to hold on tightly to Rei, anticipating that the archer would make good on her threat. Rei softened as she held the woman in her arms comfortingly, "You really think I would do that to you, princess?," she asked gently.

Minako relaxed slightly. She pulled her face away from her hiding place cautiously to look up at the raven-haired woman. At first, she searched to see if Rei was trying to trick her, but soon became lost in those soft, caring, violet orbs. She found her arm sliding to bring her hand to the back of Rei's pale neck, pulling her closer, leaning in and closing her eyes. Rei closed her eyes and leaned in as well, allowing Minako to place a lingering, chaste kiss on her lips, which she returned.

When the kiss ended, Minako leaned her forehead into Rei's, "I trust you, baby," she whispered shyly, "I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

Rei smiled as she felt warm, orange-gold colors gently flow through her with Honesty. She tilted her head up slightly to place a comforting kiss on Minako's forehead before opening her rare, lavender eyes, "I'm going to put you down so you can get ready, ok?"

"Mmn," Minako replied with a nod. Rei gently lowered Minako's to the ground so that the smaller woman came to stand on her own. Minako pulled away slightly so she could take in the sight of the beautiful raven-haired woman. She gently traced Rei's jawline with her fingers, "Why are you so good to me?," she asked musingly.

Minako's cobalt gaze followed her fingers as they glided along the edge of Rei's face. If they had stayed on Rei's intense amethysts, they would have caught the brief hint of hesitation that flashed within them.

"Because I care about you, Mina," Rei replied softly. Though her statement was simple, her words carried a depth to them that was almost tangible.

Minako felt a slight uneasiness creep into her chest. She took a deep breath and released it quickly, pushing the feeling away. She brought a hand to rest on Rei's chest over her heart, "Alright, now scram so I can get ready," she said as she playfully pushed Rei towards the door.

Rei took a couple steps back and chuckled as she nodded in response. She turned and headed out, shutting the door behind her as Minako began her morning routine.

* * *

Rei sighed heavily as she heard the shower turn on. Her shoulders dropped as she leaned her back against the door of the bathroom,

 _That was close,_ she thought to herself. She had felt it again, that weight in her heart she couldn't decipher coming from the smaller woman in response to her words. It disappeared before she could read it, could feel it being heavily forced away behind some impenetrable wall. She understood now that it definitely had something to do with Minako's deep-seeded fears.

Rei's heart sank and her brow furrowed as realization suddenly dawned on her. She didn't want to scare Minako, didn't want her to run away or have her shut down and become unreachable. She _especially_ didn't want to be the one to cause that.

In that moment, Rei knew what she needed to do. She would have to be careful now, more cautious than ever of how she expressed herself to Minako, keep her newly acknowledged feelings for the gorgeous blonde hidden away as best she could until she was able to unlock the secret to that elusive feeling. If Minako was willing to trust Rei by staying with her this far, willing to put her emotional self on the line and not run away, Rei would need to use all her skills and abilities to study and learn how to help Minako navigate safely through all of this.

With renewed determination, she pushed herself off the bathroom door and headed to the guest bathroom to begin her morning routine.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Because of how abruptly I ended up switching over my accounts, I lost all the wonderful and encouraging reviews, stats, and PMs I got about this story. Though I'll keep them in my heart as best I can to help me continue, I'd love to see more of that return as this story progresses towards the end. I also hope that those who followed or favorite-ed this story from before will be able to find this story again and continue with me on this journey until the end ^_^ **  
**

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 07/2015)


	32. Chapter 32

**Author Note:** It makes me so happy to know that some of you were able to find this story again! And thanks for the positive reviews and supportive comments, I always look forward to reading them to help encourage me to continue.

 _Pop-Quiz: 1 Question_

 _1 -_ In Chapter 12, what is the explanation Minako gave to Rei when she asked why Usagi decided to use 'Tsukino' as her last name?

 **Bento** = [Japanese] a single-portion meal common in Japanese cuisine.

I don't own Sailor Moon, Girl Friends, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

DioGuardi, K. and Stewart, D. (2007). _Taking Chances_ [Recorded by Celine Dion]. On Taking Chances [CD], Los Angeles, California, Paradies, Nevada, and Philadelphia: Henson Recording Studio, Studio at the Palms, and The Studio.

Morinaga, M. (2006). _Girl Friends_. Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan: Futabasha Publishers Ltd.

The store 'Kirei' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 32:**

 _ **Jingle Jingle!**_

The clear sound of door chimes came as a certain, gorgeous makeup artist unlocked and entered the glass double-doors of Kirei. She weaved her way through a few of the product aisles with ease, pulling a couple items here and there from the shelves, before heading towards the back of the store to the check-out counter where she leaned down and switched on the store radio. She turned to the back wall and flipped on the lights of the establishment.

The store came to life from the illumination and a solemn, soft-rock song began streaming through the built-in speakers overhead as she began ringing up her purchases.

 ** _\- You don't know about my past. And I don't have a future figured out. And maybe this is going too fast. And maybe it's not meant to last. But, what do you say to taking chances? What do you say to jumping off the edge? Never knowing if there's solid ground below, or a hand to hold, or hell to pay? What do you say? -_**

The gorgeous blonde finished her task and unlocked a door behind the check-out counter intended only for staff. She continued through the door and went to the employee locker room where she clocked in at the employee time-clock kiosk before heading to her office.

Once there, she sat down behind the desk, pulled out a compact from her purse, and began using the products she grabbed from the shelves to do her makeup. As she was applying the products expertly to her face, her mind wandered back to a conversation she had with a certain, beautiful, raven-haired woman not long before heading to work.

* * *

 _"_ _I'll see you after work, ok baby?," Minako said as she quickly put on her shoes. She didn't realize how late it was by the time they got up and was in a bit of a rush getting ready to head out so she could make it to work on time._

 _"_ _Mmn," Rei replied as she handed Minako her overnight bag and opened the door for her. As the gorgeous blonde grabbed her bag and was about to head out the door, the archer was reminded of something,_

 _"_ _Oh, Mina! I almost forgot," Rei said quickly, catching Minako's attention. The archer blushed suddenly when she was met by those piercing sapphires, "U-Ummm…Would you…I mean…," the taller woman hesitated. She averted her violet eyes bashfully as she brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck nervously, "Do you think…maybe…you could take some time off work?," she asked shyly._

 _Rei could feel the Curiosity swaying within Minako's warm aura. The gorgeous blonde tilted her head as she thought, her cobalt gaze going to the ceiling, "Hmmm…I'm not sure. I'll have to check," she responded. Her intrigued ceruleans returned to Rei, "I guess it depends on when?," she asked._

 _"…_ _Tomorrow through Friday?," Rei replied with an apologetic tone, the inflection in her voice causing her words to come out as more of a question than a statement. Her rare, lavender eyes looked up towards the smaller woman timidly._

 _"…_ _O-Oh!," Minako said with a bit of surprise, taken aback by how unexpectedly soon Rei's request was referring to._

 _"_ _I-I mean, if not, then that's ok," Rei added quickly. She brought the hand she had on her neck up and began waving it quickly as if dispelling any concerns Minako might have about possibly declining, "It's just that I was talking to Grandpa yesterday because I wanted to go visit him and the shrine and he said that this week would work with his schedule. I know it's_ _really_ _short-notice and you don't_ _have_ _to come if you don't_ _want_ _to, so no pressure. It's totally fine if you want to say n-mmm!"_

 _Rei's rambling was immediately silenced by soft lips pressing into her own. Her eyelids fell closed as the intoxicating scent of strawberries filled her senses. Soothing, warm, orange-gold colors began flowed gently into her._

 _The kiss ended too soon for Rei liking as Minako pulled away gently. Her rare, amethyst eyes fluttered open and were met by warm, playful sapphires._

 _"_ _You are just_ _too_ _cute for words, baby," Minako mused with a lighthearted giggle. She brought a hand up to brush Rei's bangs gently out of her eyes, "I'll check the schedule to see if it's possible for me to get away, ok?"_

 _"…_ _R-Really?," Rei replied with slight surprise, recovering from the kiss as Minako's words sank in. Her amethyst eyes lit up optimistically. Though she didn't want Minako to feel pressured into going with her, she couldn't hide her eagerness at the thought of possibly not having to be away from the gorgeous blonde for the week._

 _"_ _Mmn," Minako nodded. She smiled as she leaned in and placed a kiss on the archer's cheek, "I've got to go, but I'll text you once I know, ok?," she asked._

 _"_ _M-Mmn," Rei replied with a shy nod and a warm smile. A soft blush tinted her pale cheeks. The gorgeous blonde smiled warmly at the taller woman before she waved and headed out._

* * *

Minako finished her makeup and put the products she used and her compact away into her purse. She pulled out her phone and checked the time, 6:57am. It wouldn't be long now before her morning staff would begin arriving to prepare the store for the day.

Now, with nothing else to distract her while she waited for them to arrive, she began mulling over Rei's invitation.

She didn't have a problem with visiting the shrine. On the contrary, given how unique Rei's upbringing was, Minako secretly hoped for an opportunity to visit the archer's childhood home. The bits of information she gathered from the fond memories Rei shared made it sound like such a beautiful and almost mystical place, full of nature and magic. She was eager to go and see it first-hand.

No, the thing that made her reach up and absently worry the heart-shaped locket around her neck between her delicate fingers and caused an uneasy feeling to begin settling in her chest …was the idea of meeting Rei's grandfather.

Though Minako had been in a number of relationships, they always ended before ever getting to the point where parents or parental figures would even be a consideration.

And isn't that who Rei's grandfather was? He raised her after all, trained her in her abilites, was practically mother _and_ father to her in the absence of both figures for the majority of her life. He still _was_ to some extent.

Minako's brow furrowed as she contemplated the situation, _We've only been together for a little over a week,_ she thought to herself apprehensively. Isn't this what people did when their relationships were already well established and moving to the next level? Meeting the parents? Blurring the lines between casual and…serious…between them as individuals and something…more?

She shivered slightly at the thought. What would it mean for them if she were to meet Rei's grandfather? What would it mean…for _her_? And what if she and Rei's grandfather didn't get along? What if he disapproved of Rei dating her?

Minako's heart sank as she was reminded of Rei's promise. She couldn't stand the thought of possibly hurting Rei by potentially putting her at odds with her beloved grandfather if it came to that. She also couldn't stand the idea of Rei staying with her merely due to her promise if it meant defying the one blood-relative the archer had left in the world that meant anything to her.

But…the thought of possibly losing Rei…

The uneasiness began weighing heavily in her chest. Minako palmed the locket in her hand and held it tightly in her fist. She took a deep breath, held it for a couple seconds, and let it out slowly.

 _Maybe I should make up an excuse_ _not_ _to go,_ Minako thought to herself pensively. What they had was already complex enough as it was…perhaps adding _this other_ layer of complication would be too much. _Better to keep thing simple. We don't need it to get any more complicated than it already is._

Yes, she told the devastatingly, beautiful woman that she would check and see if the schedule permitted her to take time off. But…she also hadn't exactly _agreed_ to Rei's invitation either if it did. She didn't know it at the time, but she realized it now that she had subconsciously given herself an out.

And here she was, teetering at the edge of it, deciding whether or not to use it, _Maybe it's for the best if I told Rei-chan that I couldn't-_

 ** _…_** ** _clip…_**

A faint sound drew Minako from her thoughts. She tilted her head downwards towards the sound and brought her cerulean gaze to the locket in her hand. Unknowingly, she had used her fingernail to pop open the locket. She turned it towards her, carefully opening it wider, her clear sapphires landing on the photo she had recently placed in there.

Inside…was a small picture of Rei.

Minako softened as she gazed adoringly at the photo, the uneasiness dissipating at the sight of that paralyzingly breathtaking face. She sighing dreamily as she remembered when they took those photos in a photo booth by the beach in Kamakura.

Even with how small the photo was, one could see the warm and sincere smile on Rei's beautiful, alluring lips, could see how piercing her honest, intense, rare, amethysts were as she looked directly into the camera. She looked so content…and so happy. It was the same look Rei had when Minako left her condo before coming to work just now.

Minako let out a sigh and shook her head in resignation. No, she couldn't do that to Rei, not after seeing that look on her face and how hopeful the beautiful archer became at the prospect of Minako coming with her to visit her home. The makeup artist couldn't help but bring the locket to her lips and kiss it softly.

 ** _…_** ** _snap…_**

She closed the locket and brought it back down to her chest, stroking it endearingly, "Things happen for a reason," she whispered softly to herself. She made up her mind then to let fate make the decision for her. If she was able to go, she would. If she wasn't, then she wouldn't. No matter the decision, or the consequences, she would follow the path laid before her with conviction and confidence.

As she turned on her computer and waited for it to load so she could check the week's schedule, a disturbing memory quickly flashed to the forefront of her mind, causing the uneasy feeling to begin seeping back into her chest.

 _I…cried again last night,_ Minako thought as she remembered tearing up in the crook of Rei's neck before falling asleep. This was now the second time she'd ever done that. The only other time she had ever shed tears after sex was the night before the very picture she currently had in her locket was taken.

 _But…what does it mean?_ , Minako thought to herself. She began comparing the two events: both times she had, undoubtedly, been brought to the best and most intense and extreme ecstasy she had ever experienced or even knew was possible, and both times had been with a certain, devastatingly beautiful, raven-haired woman she undoubtedly had deep feelings for.

She groaned in annoyance. Even with this new information, it just didn't make sense to her. She was baffled as to why she would weep in those moments. It absolutely frustrated her to no end not having an answer.

* * *

"Morning, Mina-chaaan!," a cheerful voice sang down the hall, interrupted Minako's thoughts. She could hear the distinct sound of someone clocking in at the kiosk in the locker room and the clicking of high-heels against the cement floor heading towards her office.

A bright smile appeared on Minako lips. She began to stand so that she could walk around her desk to greet her adorable mentee,

"Morning, Akko-ch-aah!," Minako called cheerfully before her eyes shut tightly, her hand shooting up to her head as she let out a pained cry. As she stood up, a sharp pain flashed through her head and vanished as quickly as it came, leaving only a dull ache as a reminder of its appearance. Minako groaned as she began massaging her temple, her other hand came to rest on the desk in front of her to help steady herself.

"Mina-chan! Are you alright!?," Akko's alarmed voice called down the hall before the young brunette appeared soon after, running into Minako's office after hearing her mentor's distressed tone.

"M-Mmn," Minako replied as she found her footing again and was able to stand on her own without the support of the desk. She shook her head and her eyes fluttered open, "I think I just stood up too quickly, that's all."

"Mou, Mina-chan," Akko sighed in relief, visibly relaxing in her stance, "I thought something happened. You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry," Minako giggled apologetically as she lowered her hand from her temple, "Thanks for worrying about me, though."

"Of course," Akko said matter-of-factly with a caring smile as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "You're my sempai and my friend, it's my _job_ to worry about you!"

Minako rolled her eyes as she chuckled at the young brunette. Akko approached the gorgeous blonde and brought a hand up to Minako's cheek gently, her amber eyes filled with concern as she leaned in to examine Minako's face, "You look a little pale, Mina-chan. Have you eaten anything today?"

Minako thought for a bit, "A-Actually, now that you mention it," she stammered nervously as she averted her gaze, preparing for the scolding she knew she was going to get, "I-I haven't eaten anything since…about 6:30pm yesterday?"

"Mataku, Mina-chan!," Akko chided as she shook her head and brought her hand to her hip disapprovingly, "You need to take care of yourself! You probably got a headrush from low blood sugar or something!"

"M-Mmn, you're probably right," Minako nodded sheepishly as she brought her puppy-dog cobalts up to look at the young woman apologetically in response to her reprimanding. She noticed then that the young brunette was carrying a small, draw-string bag in her other hand,

"What's that?," Minako asked as she eyed the bag curiously.

"Oh! It's a present for you," Akko replied cheerfully once she remembered the bag in her hand. She set it down on the desk, "Mari's taking a diatetics class this semester and has been playing around with different recipes all weekend for a project. I packed some of the extras for you to take home."

"Aww, that's so sweet. Thank you," Minako said warmly as she went around her desk to hug her mentee, "Tell Mari-chan I said thanks also."

"No problem," Akko replied as she returned the hug. They pulled away and the young brunette brought her hands to the gorgeous blonde's shoulders and guided her back to her seat, "Now, you're going to sit down and eat something while I go get you some aspirin from the first aid kit. Don't worry about opening the store or anything else for the next 20 minutes, I'll take care of it," she said with playful sternness.

"Yes, ma'am," Minako giggled obediently as she sat down in her chair and the young brunette left to retrieve the promised medication.

* * *

As the makeup artist settled in her chair again, she noticed her computer had finished loading and was ready for her to use.

 _Alright…time to roll the dice, I guess,_ she thought to herself as she moved the mouse so that the curser was on the stores's scheduling software. She took a deep breath as she quickly double-clicked the application icon. A window opened on her desktop and she began analyzing the week's calendar.

"Here you go, Mina-chan," Akko said, getting Minako's attention as the young brunette returned and set a bottle of water and two aspirin tablets on Minako's desk.

"Thanks, Akko-chan," Minako said sincerely. Akko began unpacking one of the neatly made bentos from the bag she brought for her mentor as Minako popped the pills in her mouth and chased them with the water.

"Planning on going somewhere?," Akko asked casually, noticing that Minako had the schedule open on her computer.

"Maybe," Minako replied as she returned her attention to the schedule. She aimlessly fiddled with her necklace as she examined the detailed grid before her. After a moment, she shook her head incredulously, "Of course," she whispered sarcastically to herself.

"What's up, Mina-chan?," Akko asked curiously.

"Nothing," Minako responded casually, "It just that I was invited to go somewhere starting tomorrow through Friday and-"

"Oooooo, a romantic getaway!?," Akko asked with eager interest.

"Wait, what!?," Minako chuckled with slight surprise, "What makes you say that?," she asked curiously.

"Oh, sorry!," Akko giggled apologetically in response, "I just assumed from that gorgeous necklace you keep playing with on your neck that you had a new boy-toy or something."

Minako rolled her eyes at her adorable mentee as she smirked, "I'll be sure to tell her you called her my new 'boy-toy'."

"Ooooh, switching it up, I see?," Akko sang teasingly with a wink.

"Oh, hush, you!," Minako chided playfully, "Anyways, yes, _she_ was planning on going somewhere and invited me to go with her."

"You should _totally_ go!," Akko said encouragingly, "What's stopping you?"

"Well…at first I wasn't sure if I should or not," Minako explained superficially, not wanting to get into the details, "But I told myself if the schedule allowed for it, then I would."

"Always the responsible one," Akko shook her head teasingly at the gorgeous blonde, "So…are you going?," she probed curiously.

Minako shrugged, "It looks like tomorrow and Friday we'll be a little short-staffed so I need to be here for those days, but Wednesday and Thursday we'll be fine."

"That's great!," Akko responded excitedly, "So you can go for at least those two days, right? Just let me know what you need done during that time and I'll take care of everything while you're out!"

"I don't know, Akko-chan," Minako began apprehensively.

"C'mon, Mina-chan!," Akko whined playfully, "Just consider it part of my training as head makeup artist. I mean, it _is_ part of my job to be your back-up in case you're out for any reason, right?"

"Why do I get the feeling you're trying to get rid of me or something?," Minako chuckled as she raised an eyebrow at the young brunette.

"Mina-chan," Akko began, her tone softening to one of sincerity. She rested her hands on the desk and leaned towards the gorgeous blonde slightly, signaling she was being serious now, "You're always looking out for me and telling me how I should take care of myself and do what's best for me, but I don't even _remember_ the last time you took time off work or went on vacation." Her amber eyes continued to look at Minako with worry and concern as she straightened, "And I want you to take care of yourself too. I may not be able to repay you for all the things you've done for me, but at least let me do this for you? Please?"

Minako's softened as she looked at her young mentee, taking in her words and her adorably concerned face, "I guess that settles it then," she conceded with a sigh as she shook her head. She smiled softly at the young brunette, "Once I'm done eating, we'll start your training."

Akko's amber eyes lit up at Minako's words, "Great! Just grab me when you're ready!," the young mentee replied cheerfully. She quickly left Minako so she could eat and went to the front of the store to oversee opening for the day.

* * *

Minako let out a sigh as she turned her attention back to her computer and began inputting her intended time off work for the week. Once finished, she retrieved her phone from her purse, flipped it open, and quickly typed a few keys before shutting it again once the sound of a sent text message was heard.

 _I guess I can't fight fate,_ she thought to herself with a soft chuckle as she shrugged to herself. She dropped her phone back into her purse, pulled the bento Akko opened for her closer, and began enjoying her delicious breakfast as she mentally began planning Akko's training.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Slowly, but surely, Minako's being pushed out of her comfort zone towards the unknown. Will she be rewarded for taking a leap of faith? Will it be a disaster? We'll see ;)

In case you're wondering, I kept going back and forth as to whether I should have Akko and Minako address each other as **–sempai** or **–kohai** , but in the end decided that since they're almost equal in experience now and they're so close that they've gone beyond that hierarchial kind of relationship into friends instead. So that's why they address each other with the **–chan** honorific instead of as mentor/mentee.

If you haven't read the manga _Girl Friends_ yet, I hope you get a chance. It's a cute story and the two protagonists are absolutely adorable. I also love the drawing style, very well done.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 08/2015)


	33. Chapter 33

**Author Note:** Took a while to get all the details down for this chapter, had to do a lot of research. I think it's as good as it's going to get =P:::

 _Chapter 32 Pop-Quiz Answer:_

 _1 -_ In Chapter 12, what is the explanation Minako gave to Rei when she asked why Usagi decided to use 'Tsukino' as her last name?  
 ** _She didn't want people to know her real name._**

 _Pop-Quiz: 1 Question_

 _1 -_ In Chapter 10, who did Rei say that suggested Haruka should stop using pick-up lines to ask Michiru out?

 **Jinja** = [Japanese] Shinto shrine

 **Torii** = [Japanese] Traditional Japanese gate that marks the transition from the profane to the sacred

 **Dōjō** = [Japanese] Training facility for Japanese martial arts

 **Genkan** = [Japanese] Traditional Japanese equivalent to a 'mud room' where shoes are removed before entering the house.

 **Fusuma** = [Japanese] Sliding panel doors made of opaque material that separates rooms in traditional Japanese architecture. Usually used inside the home.

 **Shōji** = [Japanese] Sliding panel doors made of translucent paper over a wood frame used to separate rooms in traditional Japanese architecture. Usually used to separate the inside from the outside to allow light to come in from the outside.

 **Oshiire** = [Japanese] A linen-closet of sorts used to storing futons, pillows, blankets and sheets.

 **Hakama** = [Japanese] Loose trousers with many pleats in the front. Typical bottoms worn by caretakers of a Shinto shrine

 **Haori** = [Japanese] A hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket. Typical top worn by caretakers of a Shinto shrine

 **Okaeri-nasai** = [Japanese] A more formal/polite way of saying "Welcome home"

 **Jinja Honchō** = [Japanese] The Association of Shinto Shrines.

Becoming a Shintō Priest or Priestess: Titles-Roles of Men & Women Serving Shrines. (2013). In _Buddhism & Shintōism in Japan._ Retrieved August 15, 2015, from . . (Type "onmarkproductions, how to become a shinto priest" into your search engine and it should be the first link.)

I don't own Sailor Moon, Girl Friends, any brand names, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Kotecha, S., Martin, M., Nilsson, T., Payami, A., Salmanzadeh, I. (2015). _Love Me Like You Do_ [Recorded by Ellie Goulding]. On Fifty Shades of Grey: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [CD], Los Angeles, California, Gothenburg, Sweden, and Stockholm, Sweden: MXM Studios, The RedRoom, and Wolf Cousins Studios.

Morinaga, M. (2006). _Girl Friends_. Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan: Futabasha Publishers Ltd.

Lexus is a division of, and belongs to, the Toyota Motor Corporation (cited September, 2013). The brand is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

 **Chapter 33:**

 ** _\- You're the light. You're the night. You're the color of my blood. You're the cure. You're the pain. You're the only thing I wanna touch. Never knew that it could mean so much, so much. You're the fear. I don't care 'cause I've never been so high. Follow me to the dark, let me take you past our satellites. You can see the world you brought to life, to life. -_**

A slow, driving, electro-pop song hummed through the speakers of a lone, red, Lexus LS 460 F Sport as it made its way leisurely up a mildly winding road. Large, Japanese Maple, Elm, and Kobushi Magnolia trees filled the landscape and lined the edges of the road as the dark pavement cut an elegant path through them up the gradual incline of the hillside. The late, morning sunlight shined through the trees, illuminating the radiant greens, reds, golds, and whites of the colorful leaves and flowers that swayed gently in the wind.

Rei drove with the windows down, enjoying the light, flora aroma that filled the air and brought nostalgic emotions and memories to mind.

She slowed as she approached a tall, stone sign with the words 'Hikawa Jinja' etched neatly on it and made a slight turn off the main street down a worn, dirt road. She continued on this path through the trees for some time, passing a turnout on her left that dead-ended into a wide, pebble-lined, rectangular area that was bordered by a thick rope, outlining the designated visitor parking lot of the shrine. At the far end of the lot was a set of wide, stone steps, fifty to be exact, grouped into sets of ten with a small landing in between each flight. At the top of the steps was a sizeable, white torii that seemed to frame the clear, blue sky above.

Rei smirked to herself mischievously as she drove past the parking lot, continuing up a moderate incline that curved around towards the back of the shrine. On her right, she passed an inconspicuous, dirt road that curved around and behind a thick grove of trees, effectively concealing the road's destination. Rei smiled as she glanced towards her right, side-view mirror. With this new angle, she was able to briefly see a small, wooden dōjō and a row of archery targets across from it before the curve of the road caused the training ground to disappear again behind the dense plant-life as she continued on her path.

Once the car made it to the top of the incline, the dirt road transitioned to a level, stone-paved driveway that curved towards the left and ended next to a simple, single-story, traditional-style Japanese home. She pulled her car up next to the building, parked, rolled the windows up, turned off the ignition, and gracefully stepped out of the vehicle.

The beautiful archer inhaled the fresh, hillside air deeply as she shut the door of her car and locked the vehicle. She closed her eyes contently as a gentle, cool breeze brushed against her face, her raven locks fluttering elegantly as it passed. The sun's rays warmed her exposed skin and she smiled softly at the familiar sound of distant cicadas chirping, providing a pleasant melody over the sound of leaves rustling from the surrounding trees and the soft, low sounds of trickling water.

A calm sense of peace washed over her as she took it all in, reveling in the feeling of being one with her surroundings. She exhaled slowly as she opened her intense lavenders.

 _Tadaima_ , she thought quietly to herself. She didn't realize until now just how much she truly missed being home. Eager to see her grandfather, she began walking around the car towards the front of the house.

* * *

"Tadaima," she called cheerfully as she entered the house and shut the door behind her. She stood quietly for a moment in the genkan, waiting for a response, but was only met with silence.

Rei's violet eyes narrowed slightly. Thought there was nothing she could readily see that seemed out of the ordinary, it felt like something in the air…was just…somewhat…off.

A knowing smirk began pulling at the corner of her alluring lips. It had been a few years since she felt this way. She quickly slid out of her flats and set them aside before she straightened and closed her eyes. Taking a deep, meditative breath to focus and clear her mind, she began reaching out with her senses, silently agreeing to take part in an old game that pitted her against the clock.

After a moment, she opened her intense, amethysts and looked to the floor towards the far-right corner of the genkan. Tucked away there was a small, tumbled, petrified wood stone. Its color matched the wood floor so perfectly that anyone would have missed its presence entirely. But, to Rei, the faint, yet distinct, light-green glow that it gave off made it stand out just enough from its surroundings to be noticeable.

The archer went to the corner, knelt down, and picked up the small item. A small smile graced her lips as she felt the faintest sense of a familiar Playfulness seep into her as she held the item in her hand. She could tell by how light the color was that she didn't have much time.

 _One down, seven more to go_ , she thought to herself with a soft giggle as she closed her hand around the stone and continued into the house.

* * *

The simple house had an equally simple layout. Once past the genkan, one would find themselves at the bottom of a U-shaped hallway that bordered three sides of a rectangular, 10-mat room in the center of the home. Plain, fusuma doors separated the front and sides of the room from the hallways, while the back had shōji doors separating the room from the backyard.

Immediately to the left was a moderately-sized kitchen. Following down that hallway was a small, round table pushed up against the wall with a black, rotary telephone sitting on top of it. Next to that was a small bathroom, then the entrance to an 8-mat room that extended beyond the back wall and belonged to Rei's grandfather.

The layout down the right hallway was similar, but began with a 4.5-mat room that was used for tea ceremonies or receiving guests, followed by an oshiire, another bathroom, and the entrance to an 8-mat room that also extended beyond the back wall that Rei's grandfather, save the occasional dusting, kept just the way Rei left it the last time the archer visited.

The hallways themselves ended where the 10-mat room did and also led to shōji doors towards the backyard.

* * *

Rei quickly made her way throughout the house, gathering the rest of the hidden stones she was able to sense with her abilities.

After a minute or two, she found herself standing in front of her room at the end of the right-hallway, staring down at her open hand, utterly baffled. In her possession were various types of small, smooth stones, all of which were now only emitting a breath's worth of rapidly fading, light-green color,

 _Only seven?,_ Rei thought to herself with confusion. Whenever they played this game, there were always eight items for Rei to find. Having already used her abilities to sweep the house _twice_ while standing in her current position, she was confident that there were, indeed, no other stones left to find.

 _Maybe Grandpa's just shaking things up today,_ the raven-haired beauty rationalized to herself. Ignoring the gnawing sense of doubt in the back of her mind, she slid the shōji door open and headed to the backyard to find her beloved grandfather.

* * *

A U-shaped deck separated the back of the living room and one side of both bedrooms from the backyard, creating a U-shape border around the open space. On the left, passed Rei's grandpa's bedroom, the deck continued beyond the end of the house to the back of a long, large, dark-wood building which happened to be the back of the shrine itself, allowing for them to access the shrine from their home without having to go around to the front of the building.

The backyard itself was landscaped in a traditional, Japanese garden style, complete with small, green shrubs, miniature Japanese Maples, and sand-colored, pebble paths that curved elegantly throughout the grounds with the occasional stone bench to allow visitors a place to rest if needed.

To the far-left corner, closest to the end of the shrine, was a small, short, natural water feature that gently poured out of the side of the hill into a sizeable pond, creating a soft, bubbling noise that echoed soothingly throughout the backyard. The pond was bordered by low, wide, white stones and was home to a number of large koi fish of varying colors. The overflow of water continued to flow down a predetermined path, also bordered by white stones, and made a soft, trickling sound as it weaved its way gracefully along the back edge of the outdoor space. The gentle stream ran alongside a small, plentiful, vegetable garden towards the far-right corner of the yard before continuing on its path down the hillside just past Rei's bedroom. Between the koi pond and the vegetable garden towards the back of the space was a wide, rectangular, Japanese rock garden with delicate rake lines that spiraled around the larger stones and miniature trees that dotted it sparingly. At the edge of the rock garden was a long, simple, stone bench.

And a stout, bald, tanned, diminutive figure, giving off a calm, light-green aura, wearing a pale-green hakama and a white haori, was sitting there with his back towards the house.

Rei's lavender eyes lit up eagerly as they landed on the figure. She slipped on a pair of wooden sandals and began making her way towards the person she was looking for.

* * *

Once Rei approached the bench, she went around it to stand in front of her grandfather, who had his arms crossed over his chest with his eyes closed as if deep in meditation. She knelt down in front of him on the floor and brought her right hand to rest gently on his knee. A warm smile began forming on her grandfather's face at the contact and he slowly unraveled his arms to bring one of his hands to rest gently on Rei's. A soft smile came to Rei's alluring lips before she closed her eyes.

They both stayed that way for a while. To the average person, it would appear as if they were simply sitting in their respective positions in silence. However, to those who possessed abilities such as their own, they would have seen light-green and flame-red colors blending together where their hands met. They silently communicated with each other, better than they ever could with words, transferring a multitude of events and emotions that they wanted to share with each other since the last time they were together over a year ago. More than anything, they silently conveyed how deeply they missed one another during their time apart, how eager they were to see each other again, and how happy they were that Rei was home, even if only for a short visit.

They both opened their eyes at the same time once they finished with their silent exchange, dark orbs meeting intense, clear amethysts,

"Tadaima, Grandpa," Rei whispered warmly.

"Okaeri-nasai, Reiko," he replied endearingly in his raspy, kind voice, "It appears a lot has happened since we last saw each other."

"Mmn, seems like it," Rei nodded as she stood gracefully and moved to sit next to him on the bench, "So, an apprentice, huh?," she asked curiously, referring to one of the many visions she received from him during their connection.

"Mmn," Rei's grandfather nodded, "He is in his last year of school at Kokugakuin University and asked to train here a few times a week before returning to Sapporo to sit for his Jinja Honchō exam." He turned to look towards his beautiful granddaughter, "He usually comes on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays so you may meet him later this week."

Rei scoffed petulantly as she wrinkled her nose in response.

"Now, now granddaughter," Rei's grandfather tisked lightheartedly with a playful chuckle, knowing how much Rei detested the male species, "He is a guest to our home, not to mention he has been very dedicated to the shrine and a great help to me around the place. I hope you can at least be a gracious host if he comes?"

"Yes, Grandpa," Rei conceded obediently with a nod, unable to deny her beloved grandfather whenever he made a request.

They sat in silence for a moment before Rei's brow furrowed slightly. Her beautiful countenance became pensive as she hung her head guiltily.

Rei's grandfather, sensing overwhelming Sadness, Guilt, and Regret forming in his granddaughter's strong, flame-red aura, brought a hand to rest on the young woman's shoulder reassuringly, "My dear Reiko," he said soothingly in his raspy tone, "There is no need for you to punish yourself for not being here with me. We must play the hand we are dealt in life and all we can ask is that we do it with grace, integrity, and dignity. The past cannot be undone. I'm happy that you are here now."

"…Mmn," Rei nodded softly in response to her grandfather's words. His steady, light-green aura soothingly comforted her guilty conscious. She looked up towards his kind face, a small smile pulling at one corner of her lips, "I'm really happy to be home."

Rei's grandfather patted her shoulder gently before bringing his hand to hold it palm-up in front of her expectantly, "Now, what has my beloved granddaughter found for me today?," he asked, referring to their version of 'hide-and-seek' he created for his talented granddaughter to test her abilities when she started living with him, a game he continued to play with her well into her adolescence until she left for college.

Rei chuckled softly at the line her grandfather used every time they played this game. She brought her left hand up and deposited the seven, small stones she collected from the house into his awaiting hand. Rei's grandfather silently counted them before looking back up to the beautiful, young archer, "Only seven, Reiko?," he asked curiously.

Rei sighed heavily, allowing her shoulders to slump. Based on her grandfather's reaction, she knew now that she had indeed missed a stone and didn't succeed in completing the game. She averted her violet gaze to the ground, "That's all I could find," she replied defeatedly, "I thought maybe you decided to hide seven items instead of eight this time just to mess with me…but I guess not."

Rei's grandfather softened as he watched his granddaughter. It had been well over a decade since Rei wasn't able to successfully complete this game of theirs and he could see her flame-red aura emitting deep strands of Disappointment. He set the stones aside on the bench before bringing his hand to rest on hers comfortingly, "Tell me, my dear," he said soothingly, "Before I questioned you, were you confident that there were only seven stones?"

Rei thought for a moment and nodded, "Mmn, I was," she replied softly, beginning to feel a little foolish for believing that to be the case.

"And why was that?," Rei's grandfather encouraged gently.

"…Because that's all I could sense," Rei replied honestly with a shrug, "I checked the house three times: once when I came in and twice before I came outside. I couldn't feel any other stray auras before they faded away."

"Then you were right, granddaughter," Rei's grandfather said kindly. Rei brought her confused amethysts up to meet his gentle, dark eyes as he smiled warmly and squeezed her hand before releasing her to cross his arms over his chest, "Have confidence in yourself and your abilities, Reiko."

"So...there _were_ only seven stones?," Rei asked with curious clarification, "Why the sudden change? We _always_ play with eight items."

"Mmn, indeed we do," Rei's grandfather replied with a nod and a playful chuckle, "You should always have faith in what you know to be true, my dear."

Rei looked at her grandfather with puzzlement, struggling to understand this riddle he was presenting to her. She began seeing his light-green aura flicker Mischievously, "There _is_ an eighth one, isn't there," she stated more than questioned.

"Perhaps," Rei's grandfather replied casually with a shrug as he smirked mischievously.

Rei thought for a moment, her intense violets staring off into the distance as she began analyzing her grandfather's words, "You said I should have faith in what I know to be true and I _know_ we always play with eight items that have your aura signature infused in them so I can find them. If that's the case, then there _has_ to be an eight stone hidden somewhere," she thought aloud, "But...you also said I should have confidence in myself and my abilities and that I was right in believing there were only seven stones."

She paused for a moment as she tried to processed this conundrum, "So, if there _is_ an eighth stone, why is it that I couldn't sense it even though I scanned the house more than-"

Rei's eyes widened slightly as she began comprehending the words she was saying. Yes, she _had_ swept the house with her abilities more than once and _knew_ there was nothing left to find there. What if the eighth stone… _wasn't_ in the house?

Rei's grandfather began seeing strands of Realization forming within his granddaughter's flame-red colors and tried to hide the smile that wanted to appear on his lips, "Perhaps you would like to try again, my dear?"

Rei brought her attention down to the seven stones on the bench, only barely able see a pencil-thin, light-green aura signature still glowing around their round shapes. Though the colors were faint, it was just enough for her to pick up if she concentrated. Rei smirked confidently before she adjusted to sit up straight. She closed her eyes, took a deep, meditative breath, and began using her abilities to search the backyard for any stray, light-green colors, carefully combing the area.

After a moment, she let out a groan of frustration as she opened her intense violet eyes.

"Did you sense anything, Reiko?," Rei's grandfather asked innocently.

"No," Rei sighed with slight exasperation as she allowed her shoulders to relax, "I couldn't feel anything other than these stones and you sitting next-"

She suddenly stopped herself and turned to look at her grandfather, who was intently watching her with an innocent look in his dark eyes. His light-green aura was swaying playfully around his form, as if giddy with excitement. She narrowed her intense, amethyst eyes analytically at him, studying him for a moment, before she smirked and silently brought her hand, palm-up, in front of him.

A proud smile graced Rei's grandfather's worn countenance as he reached into the pocket of his hakama and deposited a small, smooth, oval, jade stone that fit perfectly in the palm of Rei's open hand.

"Well done, my dear," he said warmly to his beloved granddaughter.

"That wasn't very fair, Grandpa," Rei reprimanded lightheartedly as she brought her intense gaze to the cool, jade stone in her hands. She studied it between her fingers, feeling the playful, light-green aura radiating off the small object into her hand.

"No, it wasn't," Rei's grandfather conceded as he chuckled softly in response, "But, you see, Reiko, when you began to trust yourself and your abilities, you were able to think clearly and creatively and eventually solved the problem."

He turned his attention towards the rock garden as he continued to address his beloved granddaughter kindly, "There is an old idiom that says, 'One cannot see the forest for the trees.' Do you know what that means, Reiko?"

"I think so," Rei replied with a nod as she brought her lavender eyes back up to her wise grandfather, "It means if you're too close to or immersed in a situation, you may not be able to see the 'big picture' and need to take a step back to get perspective."

"That's correct, my dear," Rei's grandfather confirmed with a hint of pride in his voice, "Sometimes life will presents challenges where there is more than what meet the eye, where things aren't always what they seem nor as straightforward as they appear to be. More often than not, there are external factors at play that you may not be aware of during those times and you may begin to question your abilities and what you know to be true. Once you allow your judgement to become clouded, it is difficult to see a situation for what it really is. It is in these moments where it becomes more vital to believe in yourself and to remain calm and focused in order to uncover the truth."

"Yes, Grandpa," Rei nodded obediently in acknowledgment, taking in the lesson her grandfather was imparting to her. She brought her gaze back down to examine the jade stone in her hand, which seemed to perfectly match the light-green aura that was glowing softly around the object and gradually fading.

Rei's grandfather turned his kind gaze back to the young archer, "Do you like it?"

"Mmn, it's beautiful," Rei replied with a soft smile, "I like that it matches your aura."

"Then it's yours, my dear," Rei's grandfather said warmly, "Let it serve as a reminder to you of your lesson for today."

"Mmn," Rei nodded in appreciation as she pocketed the stone in the front pocket of her dark-grey shorts, "Thanks, Grandpa."

"You're very welcome, my dear," Rei's grandfather nodded in reply. He turned so that he was facing his beautiful granddaughter, "Now, let us discuss more pressing matters," he said, a grave tone underlying his raspy voice. Rei brought her attention back to her grandfather, looking at him with concern as she waiting for him to continue,

"Tell me, granddaughter, who is this 'Mina' person in your life?," he asked with a teasing tone as a sly smile began forming on his worn lips, "You chose not to share anything about her while we were connected, yet she seems to be the dominant thought in your mind."

Rei began blushing heavily and looked away quickly as her grandfather laughed good-naturedly at his beloved granddaughter's reaction.

* * *

 ** _\- Fading in. Fading out. On the edge of paradise. Every inch of your skin is a holy grail I've got to find. Only you can set my heart on fire, on fire. Yeah, I'll let you set the pace 'cause I'm not thinking straight. My head's spinning around, I can't see clear no more. -_**

 ** _Knock, Knock!_**

"Come in," Minako called as she lowered the volume of her computer speakers and brought her attention to the door. The door opened slightly and Akko peeked her head in,

"Hey, sorry, Mina-chan," Akko said apologetically, "I know you're busy trying to get stuff done before you leave today and go on vacation tomorrow, but...were you expecting anyone to come by and see you today?"

Minako looked at Akko with confusion and shook her head, "No, I wasn't expecting anyone. Why?"

"Well, it's just that…there's a man here asking for you," the young woman explained with a hint of teasing, "He said he wanted to see you personally."

Minako looked at her young mentee skeptically as she got up from her chair and followed Akko out of her office, through the locker room, to the storefront.

* * *

Once she was there, her eyes widened when she saw who it was Akko was referring to,

"K-Kobayashi-san!" Minako said with slight surprise.

"Good afternoon, Aino-san," Nobuo greeted in his soothing voice and a kind smile. The tall, handsome man was wearing a sharp, black suit, white dress shirt, and a black tie. Draped over one of his arms was a garment bag and, in his other hand, was a bouquet of the most perfect, dozen, long-stem, red roses. He bowed politely to the gorgeous blonde, "I'm glad I was able to catch you before 2:00pm when your shift ends. It's good to see you again."

Minako could practically feel the questioning eyes of her staff on here as they started gathered a ways away to watch. She began to feel self-conscious and blushed heavily.

"I have some…personal business I need to discuss with you," Nobuo said as his chocolate-colored eyes glanced at Akko, who was still standing close behind Minako.

"O-Oh! Sorry! I'll leave you two alone then!," Akko said quickly, taking the hint. She quickly went to the other side of the store where the rest of the staff have begun congregating to give them privacy. Minako quickly looked over her shoulder, her wary sapphires darting to where her staff was located. Satisfied with how far they were from them, she turned back towards the handsome man.

"It's good to see you, too, Kobayashi-san," Minako said sincerely, "But…what are you doing here?," she asked curiously.

"Miyabi-sama wanted me to personally deliver your dress to you from the dry-cleaners along with these roses," Nobuo replied as he presented the items in his hand to the gorgeous blonde.

"…Who?," Minako asked with a puzzled look.

Nobuo chuckled softly, "Yoruno Miyabi is my employer who I serve and protect," he replied, unfazed by Minako's perplexed look. He leaned in and spoke in a low, discrete voice, "If I said the name 'Tsukino', would you understand?"

Nobuo watched as Minako's expression changed from confusion to realization as it dawned on her what Nobuo was trying to say, "The alias is for her protection when discussing her private matters in public," he explained.

"Mmn, I understand," Minako replied with a nod. She took the items sheepishly from the handsome man, "Th-Thanks, Kobayashi-san."

"Not a problem, just doing my job," Nobuo nodded back in return. "Oh, I almost forgot," he said as a thought came to him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, flipped it open, and quickly typed a couple keys. Minako watched him curiously as the sound of a sent text message came from his device before he closed it and returned it to his pocket.

 ** _Beep Beep!_**

Minako turned towards the sound of a received text message on her phone. She carefully placed the flowers on the check-out counter and pulled her cellphone out from her pocket. She flipped it open and found a blank message from a Tokyo number.

"That's my direct number," Nobuo explained, "Please save it in your contacts." He took a slight step back and bowed low towards the gorgeous blonde, "My services are yours now."

Minako brought her confused, cobalt gaze up towards the handsome bodyguard, "Wait…what?"

Nobuo smiled as he straightened, "When you lost your phone, Miyabi-sama became very concerned and I offered to take you on as another charge to ensure your safety. If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to text or call anytime."

"…I see," Minako replied slowly, taking in Nobuo's words, "I mean...though I…I appreciate the offer, Kobayashi-san," she said hesitantly, "I…I don't know if…if I-"

"I insist, Aino-san," Nobuo interjected gently, "It's not just for Miyabi-sama's peace of mind, it's for mine as well. I would feel much more at ease knowing that you were in my care and safe as it would make my job much easier having one less thing to worry about when it comes to Miyabi-sama well-being."

Minako thought for a moment and sighed as she shook her head in amused exasperation, "I can see now why you two get along so well," she said with a soft chuckle, "You both are _so_ stubborn."

"Mmn, yes we are," Nobuo replied with a chuckle, "So, is that a 'yes', Aino-san?"

"I guess I don't have much of a choice," Minako replied with a smirk as she shrugged.

"It will be an honor serving you, Aino-sama," Nobuo said as he bowed again respectfully. Minako raised an eyebrow at the sudden change in honorific to her name. As she was about to comment on it, a thought suddenly dawned on her, "Wait, Kobayashi-san, how did you know my shift ends at 2:00pm?"

Nobuo shook his head in amusement as he straightened, "You're very perceptive, Aino-sama." He coughed nervously, clearing his throat, as he kept his chocolate eyes trained on the ground, "That's…another thing I needed to discuss with you. As I will be serving you in my capacity, it's important that we establish trust with each other to ensure a safe and cohesive relationship." He brought his chocolate-colored orbs up to meet Minako's questioning ceruleans, "While we were in Kyoto, I performed a very detailed background check on you."

"You…what?," Minako asked in shock.

"Please don't be alarmed, Aino-sama," Nobuo reassured soothingly, "It's a standard procedure for anyone Miyabi-sama associates with for security reasons." He brought a hand up and tapped his index finger lightly on his temple, "And I don't keep any physical files. I store everything in here," he said with a wink.

Minako's face flushed with embarrassment, _Gods, what information does he know about me?!_

"U-Ummm…," the makeup artist began nervously as she looked away and brought her hand up to scratch her cheek nervously, "D-Did you…uhhh…find anything…ummm…" she allowed her sentence to trail off.

Nobuo softened as he watched the nervous, young blonde, "I can assure you, Aino-sama, if I found anything that would signal you as a possible hazard or threat, even in the _smallest_ of ways, I would have terminated the event in Kyoto immediately."

"M-Mmn," Minako nodded in acknowledgement. She continued to sit in silence in case Nobuo had more to say regarding her question.

Nobuo took the hint that his response wasn't satisfactory enough for the gorgeous blonde. He brought his hand to the young woman's shoulder, getting her attention as Minako brought her nervous sapphires to meet his kind, chocolate eyes, "There's nothing to be worried about, Aino-sama," he said reassuringly, "From what I found, you're quite impressive. No criminal record, clean financial record, glowing educational and employment record, not even a parking ticket on your driving record. Most importantly, no questionable associations that could put my employer in jeopardy. If anything, I'm surprised you two didn't know each other _before_ you met _,_ given the company you two keep."

He winked playfully at the makeup artist, "You're quite the upstanding citizen, aren't you, Aino-sama?," he said with a hint of teasing.

Minako blushed as she let out a sigh of relief and smirked, "I'll take that as a compliment, Kobayashi-san."

"I can assure you, it _was_ one," Nobuo responded playfully.

He was taken aback slightly as the young woman moved quickly towards him and gave him a warm hug,

"Thank you, Kobayashi-san," Minako said sincerely as she hugged the bodyguard, "For caring so much about…your employer…about both of us. I really appreciate it."

Nobuo smiled softly at the young blonde and returned her hug in kind. When they parted, he remembered where he was and cleared his throat, "Just doing my job, Aino-sama," he said professionally, bringing his hands behind his back to stand at ease, "It's my duty to ensure the well-being of my clients and your respective well-beings are my top priority."

Minako smirked at the tall, handsome man. She could tell he was trying to hide behind the façade of his duties.

"Hey, Kobayashi-san?," Minako began, getting the bodyguard's attention, "Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Of course, Aino-sama," Nobuo replied attentively, "What can I do for you?"

"Well, you know, since we've exchanged numbers and you basically know _everything_ about me now," Minako began teasingly, "Could you…well…not call me 'Aino-sama'?," she asked sheepishly, "I mean, I'm just a regular girl and it…kind of makes me uncomfortable. I'd rather you call me Minako instead."

Nobuo was silent for a moment, contemplating Minako's request, before a small smile appeared on his lips, "If that will make you feel better…Mina-sama."

"Mou, Kobayashi-san!," Minako whined as she rolled her eyes, "You don't have to use the '-sama' honorific. Even though I'm under your care, it's not like I'm your boss or anything, you know what I mean?"

"I understand, Mina-sama," Nobuo replied warmly, "But, if you don't mind, I'd prefer to keep it there as a sign of respect for my duties."

"Ok, fine," Minako compromised with an exasperated sigh, causing Nobuo to chuckle at her expense.

"Mataku," she continued with feigned annoyance, "Your employer's stubbornness is bad enough as it is. I don't know how I feel about deal with _both_ of your stubbornness."

"Well then, as a good-faith gesture, please call me Nobuo," Nobuo replied politely.

"Mmn, Nobuo-kun it is then," Minako nodded with a sincere smile.

"I believe I've kept you long enough," Nobuo said apologetically, "I'm sure you have a lot to take care of before your shift ends." He bowed low towards the gorgeous blonde, "Have a good day, Mina-sama."

"Mmn, you too Nobuo-kun," Minako replied. She watched as the tall, handsome man turned and exited the store.

* * *

Minako giggled to herself as she began picking up the roses from off the counter once the bodyguard left, _Nobuo-kun may be a bad-ass and seem intimidating, but he's such a big softie on the inside!_

"U-Ummm, Mina-chan?," Minako, having forgotten where she was for a moment, was startled by the sound of Akko's voice coming from behind. She turned to find her mentee standing nervously behind her with the rest of the staff huddled close behind with looks of eager excitement,

"W-Well…," Akko began hesitantly as she looked over her shoulder at the staff, who each gave her encouraging looks and nods to continue. Akko sighed and shot her mentor an apologetic look, "T-They wanted me to ask you…who that guy was and…if he was your boyfriend."

Minako blushed bright red having so many eyes staring at her. She caught her mentee mouthing an apology before she turned away sheepishly, "N-No, he…he works for…someone I'm dating," Minako answered bashfully.

She and Akko winced at the sound of loud, high-pitched squeals of delight that suddenly erupted from the staff. They all began talking at once as they approached their manager:

"Aphrodite strikes again!"

"Why didn't you tell us you were dating someone new!?"

"What's his name?"

"Who is he?"

"How'd you two meet?"

"How long have you two been dating?"

"Is he handsome?"

"Who cares if he's handsome? If he has people working for him, he must be wealthy!"

"What's he like?"

"Does he have any single brothers?"

"What's the name of the guy that was just here? _He's_ kind of cute! Is _he_ single?"

"Ok, ok, everybody!," Akko's voice rang out above the din as she made her way to her mentor and began shuffling her towards the back door that led to the locker room, "Show's over, let's all get back to work."

Minako mouthed a quick 'thank you' to her mentee as she escaped to her office. The sounds of whining from her staff about not getting any answers from their manager echoed down the hall before Akko shut the door to give Minako space.

* * *

Once in the privacy of her office, Minako let out a sigh of relief. She hung her garment bag on the back of her closed door and went to her desk to set the roses down.

 _Of course she had to get the brightest red roses she could find!,_ Minako thought to herself cheekily with a smirk, knowing how much the raven-haired woman loved that particular color.

She noticed then that there was a small envelope embedded within the flowers. She pulled it out and opened it to read the typed message inside,

* * *

" _Dear Mina,_

 _I hope Nobuo-san made a big show of bringing you your dress and the flowers. I wish I was there to see you blush. I hope your coworkers gave you a hard time. ;)_

 _I can't wait to see you tomorrow. I've included directions to the shrine on the back of this note. Drive safely, ok?_

 _Until then, I'll be dreaming about you._

 _Yours always,_

 _Rei"_

* * *

"Mataku, Rei-chan," Minako sighed as she shook her head softly. She touched her locket fondly, "What am I going to do with you?"

* * *

 **Author Note:** Hope you got all that. Next stop, Hikawa Shrine!

 _Fun Fact:_ The number **8** is considered a lucky number in Japan due to how it looks when written.

 **Kokugakuin University** is one of the main universities in Japan that has a Shinto Studies department and offers a required degree in the field needed to become a priest/priestess at a Shinto shrine.

Why a **jade stone**? Jade is often considered to have healing and protective properties. It can also signify good luck, friendship, love, and "wisdom gathered in tranquility, dispelling the negative and encouraging one to see oneself as they really are". It is said to be "the stone of calm in the midst of storm" and can "increases trustworthiness and fidelity. It also inspires love later in life…[and] protect against deception…"

Jade Meanings and Uses. (2015). In _Crystal Vaults._ Retrieved August 15, 2015, from crystal-encyclopedia/jade. (Type "crystal vaults, jade meaning" into your search engine and it should be the first link.)

The average thickness of Mars' crust is about 50 km so that's why I made there be **50 steps** for the Hikawa Shrine.

I'm sure most Sailor Moon fans know that, before Sailor Moon, a proposal for a hypothetical _Codename: Sailor V_ anime was presented and it had a character named **Miyabi Yoruno** ("Elegance of Night") who was a shrine maiden in the story. Creator Naoko Taekuchi later said this character was the original prototype for Rei Hino's character when she created _Sailor Moon_.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 08/2015)


	34. Chapter 34

**Author Note:** Ugh, I was really riding the struggle-bus on this chapter. =P:::

 _Chapter 33 Pop-Quiz Answers:_

 _1 -_ In Chapter 10, who did Rei say that suggested Haruka should stop using pick-up lines to ask Michiru out?  
 _ **Seika**_ = [Japanese] Sacred fire

 **Zabuton** = [Japanese] A cushion for sitting on the floor

 **Shimenawa** = [Japanese] Rice-straw rope used to ward off evil spirits or to mark sacred places

 **Shime** = [Japanese] Also known as gohei. Strips of white paper that symbolize purity

 **Tōrō** = [Japanese] Decorative stone lanterns

 **Chōzuya** = [Japanese] Water purification pavilion

 **Temizu** = [Japanese] Water purification rite done before approaching a Shinto shrine

 **Kare Pan** = [Japanese] Curry bread

 **Aino-chan** = [Japanese] Sweetheart

Inside the Shrine - Shintō Concepts, What's What. (2013). In _Buddhism & Shintōism in Japan._ Retrieved November 15, 2015, from . . (Type " onmarkproductions, inside the shrine" into your search engine and it should be the first link.)

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Carlton, V. (2002). _A Thousand Miles_ [Recorded by Vanessa Carlton]. On Be Not Nobody [CD], Santa Monica, California: A &M Records.

* * *

 **Chapter 34:**

 _ **\- And I need you. And I miss you. And now I wonder, if I could fall into the sky do you think time would pass me by? 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you... -**_

The bubbly, piano pop song ended as Minako parked her car and turned off the ignition. She gracefully stepped out of the car and absently closed her driver-side door as she gaped, wide-eyed, with a mix of awe and disbelief at the massive flight of stairs before her.

"Holy shit," she whispered quietly to herself. Though she actually wanted to say those words quite a bit louder to truly express herself, she had enough of a mind to consider that it probably _wasn't_ the most proper thing to say at such a sacred place.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the directions Rei had provided her,

* * *

 _…_ _then when you see the 'Hikawa Jinja' sign, make a right down the dirt road. Turn left into the parking lot and take the stairs._

 _Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Pack light if you can, you'll see why when you get here. ;)_

* * *

"Mataku, Rei-chan!," Minako cursed to herself quietly. Now that she was here, she _did_ see why the cheeky, raven-haired woman made those recommendations! She was grateful that she heeded the advice and settled on sneakers, jean shorts, and a fitted, lightweight, sleeveless, orange blouse for the day.

Wary, azure eyes studied the formidable task before her as the gorgeous blonde stuffed the note back into her pocket. After a moment, she sighed in resignation, _I guess there's no way around it,_ she thought to herself. She shrugged slightly, _Well, at least I'll get a work-out in for today_.

She went to the trunk of her car, removed the duffle bag she had packed for the trip, and shut the hood securely before locking the car. Slinging the shoulder-strap over her head, she timidly approached and paused at the foot of the stairs. Bringing a hand up to shade her piercing sapphires from the late-morning sunlight shining overhead, she looked up to try and see if she could make out where the top step was from where she stood.

"A journey of a thousand steps begins with one," she said wryly to herself. Taking a deep breath, she began her ascent, keeping in mind what was waiting for her…or rather… _who_ was waiting for her at the top.

* * *

 _Rei was standing in a dark, unknown void of space. Though there was nothing to help her distinguish where she was, it felt…familiar...as if she'd been here many times before._

 _A silky sensation between her fingers and the feeling of something warm pressed up against her grabbed her attention. She looked down and was taken aback to find that she was holding someone close in her arms, gently stroking their long hair comfortingly._

What the…, _Rei's consciousness thought, the words echoing distantly with confusion._

 _"…_ _Are you ok?," she heard herself verbalize. Her tone was soft and full of worry as she directed the question towards the person in her arms._ _Her_ _eyes widen as an overwhelmingly heavy sensation began seeping into her from the being within her embrace._

Kami-sama…so much…pain _, The words from her consciousness echoed softly._ _She wanted to pull away, to try and get her bearing and understand where she was, what was going on, and who this person was in her arms radiating so much anguish. But, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move. She was paralyzed, trapped within the role she was currently playing._

 _The smaller person within her arms lifted their head and Rei was stunned to find that it was the shadowy woman she had encountered countless times within her reoccurring vision. The normally bright aura that surrounded the woman was so faint, it was no wonder Rei didn't realize it was her sooner. The beautiful archer's heart ached painfully at how much she could feel the woman suffering._

 _Though Rei still couldn't make out her face, she could sense the woman's eyes looking at her with deep despair._ _A shadowy hand reached up, sliding to the back of Rei's neck, gently pulling her closer. Rei found herself complying, her eyelids falling closed as shadowy soft lips met her own in a gentle, chaste kiss. Even the kiss was filled with so much sorrow, so much…sadness. Rei wanted nothing more than to ease the woman of her grief._

 _The shadowy woman ended the kiss gently and Rei slowly opened her worried amethysts as the woman pulling out of Rei's embrace and took a step back, just out of reach. The shadowy presence turned her head slightly, averting her gaze to the floor. Her alluring lips began moving, but no sound came from her. Rei strained against the silence, trying hard to decipher what the figure was saying._

 _"…_ _I'm sorry," were the only words Rei heard. Though they came out as barely a whisper, they seemed to echo throughout the silence._

* * *

 ** _SNAP!_**

Rei's intense violets shot open wide, abruptly pulling her from the vision she was experiencing. She gasped for air, her breath heavy as sweat dripped down her pale face. Her eyes darted around the room in a panic, reminding herself of where she was.

She was kneeling, seiza-style, on a large, square zabuton with her hands up in front of her, palm-to-palm in prayer. She was located at one end of a sizeable, rectangular, wooden hall. On the wall in front of her was a thick shimenawa that draped from one end of the width of the hall to the other with four, long strands of shime hanging low from it, almost touching the ground. In front of that was a three-tiered, wooden altar with various items placed on it that were either used as part of rituals or as offerings.

Immediately in front of her was a large, roaring fire that was contained in an elevated, square, stone pit.

 ** _SNAP snap! pop pop!_**

The sound of wood crackling helped to orient Rei to where she was. Her breath gradually steadied as she slowly lowered her hands to her lap and allowed herself to sit back on her feet. She silently retraced her steps, recalling that she had gotten up at 5:00am, per usual, and had spent most of the morning helping her grandfather with chores around the shrine. Once she had finished, she decided to spend some time in the sacred fire room to meditate…

…where she quickly found herself pulled into a new and troubling vision.

The miko's lifted her head, her wary amethysts focusing on the immense flame before her, "Seika," she whispered softly, "What…What _was_ that?"

The fire flared abruptly before returning to burn in its usual way. Rei sighed defeatedly as her shoulders slumped, "I'm sorry, I know you can't answer that."

The flame dimmed slightly and seemed to sway apologetically. "No, it's not your fault," Rei said quietly, "I knew better than to ask." She brought a hand up to her chest, absently rubbing the area over her heart where she felt the most pain during the vision, "It just…took me by surprise. That's all."

The blaze flickered briefly and Rei nodded, "Mmn, I'm ok. Thanks," she said softly. Rei's brow furrowed in frustration as she allowed her intense gaze to trail down to the floor. Due to how abruptly she came back to herself, the images she had seen in her transcendent state slipped from her consciousness before she was able to commit them to memory. All she could remember was the immeasurable pain, the deafening silence, and an urgent and panicked sense that the world was crumbling around her.

As she tried to recall the elusive vision, another feeling began tugging at her senses. She felt herself calm almost instantly, the tension in her muscles loosened reflexively as she felt a familiar, comforting, warm sensation approaching from a little ways away.

A small smile appeared on her alluring lips as she gracefully stood up and bowed respectfully towards the fire, "I have to go, Seika," she said as she straightened, "I'm expecting company and it seems she just arrived. I'll be back later on so we can revisit this new vis-"

The flame flickered coyly, interrupting Rei's words and the beautiful miko scoffed and rolled her eyes in response, "Yeeesss, it's that 'Mina' girl I told Grandpa about!," she groaned in feigned exasperation.

The blaze danced playfully as if humored by the archer's response. Rei smirked before she shook her head in amusement, "Mataku, you're just as bad as Grandpa," she said as she watched the flame begin to sway questioningly. She nodded in reply, "Mmn, I'll be sure to bring her by and introduce her."

The fire flaring excitedly in response, causing Rei to chuckle at the earthly element before the raven-haired miko bowed respectfully again and headed to the shōji doors located at the side of the hall. She slid one of the panels open as she quietly exited the holy space and slid the door closed behind her.

* * *

By the time Minako made it to the top of the stairs, her breath was only slightly labored. Though the climb was long, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. As she stood there for a moment to catch her breath, her piercing cerulean eyes took in the sight before her.

She was standing at the edge of a short, stone walkway that was lined on both sides with four small tōrōs. At the end of the walkway, to the left, was a small chōzuya that visitors were expected to use before approaching the shrine. The walkway led to a fairly large, stone courtyard where, to the far-right, was a small, square wooden structure that appeared to be a giftshop of some sort, facing the courtyard and, to the far-left, bordering most of the width of the courtyard, was an elevated, long, unassuming, rectangular, tall, wooden building that had a blue, tiled, gable roof and a row of shōji doors that spanned its length, facing the courtyard.

Directly in front of her, at the opposite end of the courtyard, was an elevated, moderately-sized, beautifully ornate, tall, wooden, reddish-orange building that also had a blue, tiled, gable roof. At the entrance to the building was a large bell with a very thick, red and white, braided rope hanging low to the ground.

"Wow," the gorgeous blonde whispered to herself in awe as she slowly crossed to the end of the walkway, taking in the sight and the sounds of the shrine. She felt as though she had been transported to another world. Having grown up and lived in Tokyo all her life, she was amazed that such a wondrous and seemingly mystical place existed, hidden in the wooded hillside, just outside the city.

 ** _Cawww Cawww! Cawww Cawww Cawww!_**

Before she was about to step onto the courtyard from the walkway, she was startled by a loud, abrasive sound. She turned to her left towards the noise and was met by a large, black crow that was perched on top of the chōzuya.

"Mou, you scared me," Minako chided with a huff. She turned and was about to continue on her way until she paused, recalling a story Rei told her once about how she had saved two crows from an abandoned nest when she was younger.

The gorgeous blonde turned her attention back towards the creature, "So, which one are you?," she asked curiously. The winged creature tilted its head at her questioningly in response before Minako felt a strange sensation coming from the top of her left foot. She looked down to see what it was,

"Oh!," she exclaimed with a slight start. On the floor next to her was a smaller crow busy pecking at her sneakers, untying the knot and loosening her laces.

"H-Hey!," Minako giggled playfully at the feathered creature. She removed her duffle bag from her shoulder and set it on the ground. The second crow hopped backwards warily as Minako knelt down to re-tie her shoe.

 ** _Tkkk Tkkk…Tkkk Tkkk_**

The second crow made loud, clicking sounds and the gorgeous blonde tilted her head to look at the creature as she continued to tie her shoe. She watched as the bird bobbed its head, watching her curiously, as if studying her. Minako giggled softly as she finished tying her shoe, watching the curious creature as it stared intently back at her.

 ** _Wheeeeeeeet!_**

A loud, high-pitched whistle came from the other side of the courtyard and echoed throughout the quiet space. Minako watched as both crows immediately turned towards the sound and took flight in that direction. She followed the pair with her cobalt eyes as they flew gracefully towards, and landed gently on, the shoulder and outstretched right arm of a beautiful, raven-haired miko.

Minako's sapphire eyes widened, her mouth fell open slightly as her breath hitched. Though she had seen Rei in her miko garbs before at Haruka and Michiru's wedding, the taller woman looked absolutely breathtaking in them now that they were in the appropriate context. Minako found herself enchanted by the beautiful archer, captivated by how elegantly the material flowed around her lithe form as the beautiful woman began walking gracefully towards her.

"Hello, Mina," Rei said warmly as she approached, reaching out her left hand towards the kneeling blonde.

"…Hi," was all Minako was able to manage softly in her bewitched state. She absently reached up and gently took the proffered hand, allowing the archer to help her stand.

Rei smiled contently as Minako's comforting, warm, orange-gold aura, flowed gently into her through their connected hands. It never ceased to amaze her how much Minako's presence had such an affect on her and made her feel so safe.

Once Minako was standing, the two women continued to stare into each other's eyes, becoming lost in each other for the longest of seconds.

 ** _Caaawww…_**

A soft, rumbling caw came from the smaller crow perched on Rei's shoulder, pulling both women from their musings and back into the present moment. Rei subtly cleared her throat as she came back to herself, "I-I see you've met the twins already," she said with a soft chuckle and a light blush. She brought her attention to the two obsidian birds perched on her, "This one's Phobos," the archer said as she nodded to the larger of the two balancing on her right forearm, "And this one's Deimos," she said as she turned towards the one resting on her left shoulder.

"Hi, Phobos-san, Deimos-san," Minako greeted kindly to the crows with a small bow.

"Girls, this is Aino Minako," Rei said, addressing the two crows and introducing the gorgeous blonde, "She'll be visiting with us for a couple days."

 ** _Tkkk Tkkk…Tkkk Tkkk_**

The two crows clicked loudly as if acknowledging the miko's introduction before Phobos flew off and landing on the chōzuya again. Deimos followed quickly after, landing at the edge of the water basin instead. The two women watched as Phobos began hopping from side to side, bobbing her head up and down towards the chōzuya, pecking lightly at its tiled, clay roof while Deimos flapped her wings energetically.

"What're they doing?," Minako asked curiously as she let out a soft, melodic giggle at the crow's antics.

"It looks like they're welcoming you to the shrine," Rei said as she let out an amused chuckle, "I guess they want you to do the temizu before-"

"Oh, that's right!," Minako exclaimed in understanding, interrupting the beautiful miko as she turned towards her excitedly, "I read about that! I'm supposed to do that before approaching the shrine, right?"

"M-Mmn," Rei nodded with surprise as she turned towards the gorgeous makeup artist, "You…'read about' it?"

"Mmn," Minako nodded cheerfully, "I've never been to a Shinto shrine before and I figured I should know at least _something_ about it before coming over. So I went to the library after work yesterday and also read up on a couple things online last night." A slight blush tinted her creamy cheeks as she averted her bashful, azure eyes to the ground, "And…it's your home, Rei-chan. I didn't want to be disrespectful."

Rei felt strong waves of Sincerity flow into her through their connected hands and was nearly moved to tears by Minako's thoughtfulness. She found herself compelled to move towards the smaller woman.

Minako heard the fabric of Rei's miko garbs shuffle softly before she turned and was met by soft lips pressing into her own in a sweet and gentle kiss that nearly took Minako's breath away.

Gods…had it really only been _two days_ since she last kissed these perfect lips? Minako allowed her eyelids to fall closed as she kissed the taller woman back just as sweetly. She sighed contently, catching her breath, as the raven-haired miko gently ended the kiss. Rei rested her forehead against Minako's,

"I missed you, Mina," Rei whispered softly. She brought her right hand up to lightly stroke the smaller woman's creamy cheek with her thumb as she intertwined the fingers of her other hand with Minako's, gently squeezing it, trying to convey the feelings behind her words. Minako only blushed in reply, taking in the sweet smell of vanilla that was so distinctly Rei. She returned the squeeze from Rei's hand and stroked it gently with her thumb in small circles, taking the time to enjoy the moment.

* * *

A loud cough from across the courtyard brought them out of their intimate world, making them jump slightly apart from the sudden interruption. They both turned towards the direction of the sound.

"Now where has my beloved granddaughter gone?," a raspy voice sang playfully. Though Minako couldn't see anyone in the courtyard, the voice seemed to be coming from the vicinity of the small giftshop, "Perhaps she's in the fire room? Or in the shrine? I wonder where she could possibly be."

"Grandpa," Rei half-whined, half-sighed in feigned exasperation as she rolled her eyes. He knew exactly where she was, could probably sense her just as well as she could sense him and his light-green aura that was beaming with Playful Amusement. He had been teasing her non-stop since she arrived yesterday about this mysterious 'Mina' she had chosen to invite per his suggestion.

Despite that, she couldn't help but smile softly to herself. With all his teasing, she knew it was his way of showing that he cared and was supportive of her. Even now, he had provided space for them to have a small, private moment to greet each other before making his presence known.

"Ah! Is that you in the courtyard, Reiko?," the raspy voice said playfully with feigned surprise.

"…'Reiko'?," Minako asked curiously, getting the raven-haired miko's attention.

"It's a nickname Grandpa's had for me since I was little," Rei explained with a shrug as a light blush came to her cheeks, "He likes making up nicknames for people."

"It's cute, I like it," Minako said as she let out a small, melodic giggle, causing the taller woman's blush to darken slightly.

"Reiiikoooo," Rei's grandfather called again playfully, having not received a response from his granddaughter, "Reiko, where aaaare youuuu?"

"Yes, Grandpa, I'm in the courtyard," Rei replied, humoring her grandfather. She turned towards the direction from where the voice was coming from, "Mina just got here."

"Oh, is that so?," the raspy voice asked in an overly-exaggerated surprised tone, "Well then I must come say 'hello' and greet our guest."

Rei felt Minako's aura shift to Nervousness and she turned her attention back to the gorgeous blonde, "Don't worry, Mina," Rei said soothingly with an encouraging smile. She gently squeezed her hand, "Just be yourself."

"M-Mmn," Minako replied hesitantly with a soft nod as she took a breath to steady her nerves. As Rei gently released her hand and moved to stand next to her, Minako's attention was drawn to a short, stout, elderly, bald man who had a wide, kind smile on his worn face and was shuffling his way across the courtyard towards them from the giftshop.

"You must be Aino Minako," the diminutive man said eagerly as he approached the two.

"Mmn, good afternoon," Minako nodded before bowing respectfully towards the elderly man, "I'm sorry for the intrusion...u-um…"

"Just call me 'Ojiisan', child. All the other kids do," Rei's grandfather replied kindly as he bowed towards the gorgeous blonde, "And it's no trouble at all. Welcome to the Hikawa Shrine and our humble home. I'm glad you'll be visiting with us."

They both straightened and Rei's grandfather looked towards his beloved granddaughter out of the corner of his dark eyes mischievously, "She's quite hot. Isn't she, granddaughter?," he asked with a playful wink.

"KAMI-SAMA! _GRANDPA_!," Rei yelled in mortification. She could feel her face beginning to flush darkly with embarrassment.

Rei's grandfather laughed wholeheartedly in response, "Reiko, my dear. The Kami is all around us, there's no need to shout to get their attention." His laughter softened as he continued, "I was referring to her _aura_ , granddaughter," he said teasingly with the most innocent look he could muster, "You mentioned that her aura was very warm, and it _is_. I was merely agreeing with your observation. What _ever_ did you think I meant?"

Before Rei was about to admonish her grandfather for his cheekiness, a melodic giggle caught her attention, distracting her from her chagrin. She turned towards the smaller woman and found her orange-gold colors swaying with Amusement, the Nervousness fading considerably.

Rei realized then, could feel it in her grandfather's light-green aura, that he had teased her for Minako's sake. He must have also sensed Minako's Anxieties about meeting him and wanted to ease the gorgeous blonde's tension. The archer softened as she glanced over at her grandfather and caught his dark eyes momentarily, silently thanking him for his wisdom and kindness. The older man merely gave her a knowing wink and warm smile.

"Well, in either case, I'll take it as a compliment, Ojiisan," Minako giggled as she bowed politely towards the older man. She straightened and turned towards the beautiful archer, "And you must forgive Rei-chan," she continued teasingly as she winked playfully at the taller woman, "I think being in the city for too long has made your granddaughter a little ecchi." Rei's grandfather laughed with amusement in reply.

"Mataku, you two," Rei said in an exasperated tone as she rolled her eyes in feigned annoyance. She crossed her arms in a huff, "Maybe this was a bad idea. I don't know if I like you two getting chummy with each other. I foresee it making for a lot of jokes at my expense."

"Speaking of jokes, dear granddaughter," Rei's grandfather interjected smoothly as his laughter died down, "Would you care to explain why our guest is parked in the visitor lot and not around back near the house?"

"Wait, what?," Minako asked with confusion.

"Well, child, if you continued following the road passed the visitor lot you would have been able to drive right up to the house behind the shrine and not have to take the stairs," Rei's grandfather replied matter-of-factly. He gave a sidelong look of feigned rebuke towards his beloved granddaughter, "That is, if _someone_ would had given you proper directions to do so."

Minako spun her head to look at the beautiful miko, whose playful lavenders were trained up at the sky, trying her best to look as innocent as possible while hiding a mischievous smirk that wanted to appear on her alluring lips. A look of disbelief flashed across Minako's face as realization suddenly hit her. Her jaw dropped as she smacked the archer's upper-arm incredulously, "Rei-chan! You tricked me into walking up those epic stairs!?"

"It's a right of passage, Mina!," Rei explained, finally allowing herself to chuckle at Minako's expense. She shrunk away slightly and raised her hands in innocent defensiveness, "Anyone who visits the shrine has to go up the stairs and cross under the torii _at least_ once!"

"Mataku, I can't believe you," Minako said in reproach as she shook her head disapprovingly and crossed her arms in a huff.

"Now, is that any way to treat our guest, Reiko?," Rei's grandfather reprimanded lightly with a playful chuckle.

"No, I guess not, Grandpa," Rei replied sheepishly, a small grin still lingering on her lips.

"Then perhaps, as an atonement, you can take our guest's bag and car around to the house?," her grandfather suggested, "While you're there, you can go freshen up and then give our guest a tour of our home."

"Yes, Grandpa," Rei nodded obediently. She bent down and picked up Minako's duffle bag off the floor and slung the strap over her shoulder as she held her hand out to Minako expectantly.

"Thanks, _Reiko_ ," Minako said snarkily with a playfully teasing tone as she deposited her car keys into the taller woman's hand.

"Anytime, _princess_ ," Rei quipped with a smirk. As she walked towards the stairs, she called over her shoulder towards the two crows, "Let's go, girls. I've got some kare pan from Tokyo back at the house for you."

 ** _Cawww Ca-Cawww Cawww Cawww Ca-Cawww!_**

Both creatures cawed happily with excitement as they took flight and headed straight towards the house, leaving Minako and Rei's grandfather to themselves. Once Rei had descended the long flight of stairs and was out of sight, Minako turned back around to face the elderly man, who was smiling warmly up at her, "Would you mind keeping an old man company in the meantime?"

"No, not at all," Minako nodded politely with a sincere smile.

"Splendid," Rei's grandfather replied cheerfully. He gestured towards the chōzuya, "Shall we?"

"Mmn," Minako nodded eagerly. As she followed the stout man as he shuffled towards the chōzuya, a sincere smile came to her alluring lips. Though she was still slightly apprehensive and anxious about meeting Rei's grandfather, she had a pretty good feeling that she was going to get along with the elderly man just fine.

* * *

After the temizu, Rei's grandfather led Minako into the shrine where he prepared some green tea for them to enjoy while they got to know each other as they waited for Rei.

They perched themselves, with the tray of tea in between them, on the edge of a small, elevated platform that served as a stage of sorts for various rituals and events in the middle of a medium-sized auditorium. The inside of the shrine had beautiful reddish-orange, wide, wooden pillars throughout the space and matched the solid, wide, wooden panels that lined the side walls as well as the cross beams in the vaulted ceilings. The bright light that came through the shōji windows that lined the front and back walls played off the vibrant colors of the of the structure, accenting the polished, dark-wood floor of the space and creating a bright and welcoming environment. Hanging from the ceiling by the doorways were paper lanterns while intricately designed steel lanterns hung over the stage itself. Draped directly above the middle of the stage from the ceiling was a thick shimenawa with strands of shime that hung halfway down from it.

The pair chatted easily with each other. Their conversation flowed smoothly and they found themselves laughing quite a bit, mostly due to their similar sense of humor and witty banter.

"Oh, my dear, Aino-chan," Rei's grandfather sighed after another fit of laughter, using the pet name he had quickly developed for the young woman, "I'm so glad you came to visit. You are such a joy to talk to."

"M-Mmn, thank you for having me," Minako nodded shyly as a light blush tinted her cheeks from the small compliment. She averted her gaze in favor of looking around the shrine, "I really like it here. It feels almost magical. It's so calm and peaceful."

"Then consider it your home, child," Rei's grandfather said kindly. His dark eyes shifted slightly to look behind the make-up artist towards the back shōji doors of the shrine, "And it appears your tour guide is ready for you now."

 ** _Ssssshuck_**

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mina," Rei said with an apologetic tone as she entered the shrine. She had changed into a red, checked, feminine-cut, plaid, long-sleeve, button-up shirt with the sleeves folded up to just below her elbows. Underneath that, she wore a simple, black tank top. Below that was a pair of fitted, dark-denim jeans over a pair of charcoal sneakers.

"…T-That's ok, Rei-chan," Minako stuttered once she found her voice. A light blush began forming on her creamy cheeks as she took in the sight of the beautiful, raven-haired woman.

Minako's reaction didn't go unnoticed by Rei's grandfather, who smiled knowingly to himself as he watched her warm, orange-gold aura become completely captivated by his beloved granddaughter. He began to clean up the tray of tea, "Now run along and enjoy yourselves, you two," he said kindly as he collected the tray and turned towards Minako, "It was wonderful getting to know you, Aino-chan."

"M-Mmn, likewise," Minako replied quickly, startled out of her admiration for the archer. She stood up and bowed respectfully towards the stout man, "Thank you again."

Rei's grandfather nodded kindly in return and began walking towards the back shōji door. As he passed his granddaughter, he noticed her raising an elegant eyebrow at him,

"…'Aino-chan'?," Rei asked skeptically with a smirk.

"I thought the nickname to be quite clever and fitting," Rei's grandfather replied with playful smugness. He winked teasingly, "Wouldn't you agree, granddaughter?"

Rei rolled her eyes at her grandfather before she leaned down and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "Love you, Grandpa," she said with feigned incredulity.

"I love you too, Reiko," the elderly man chuckled before heading out the door towards the house, leaving the two young women to themselves.

Rei turned back towards the gorgeous blonde, whose piercing, azure eyes were busy raking Rei's form, blatantly gawking at her. Rei smirked to herself as she began walking towards Minako slowly with a seductive sway.

The way Rei's clothes hugged her lithe form, how that long, silky, raven-colored hair flowed gracefully behind her as she approached…Gods, Rei looked absolutely incredible.

There was something else about the archer Minako had noticed since she arrived at the shrine. There was a confidence to Rei, a sureness as she moved, especially now as she strutted towards the gorgeous makeup artist. There was none of that focused, calculated control she always had about her. She seemed relaxed, uninhibited, and so much more comfortable in her surroundings here than in the city. It made it _that_ much harder for Minako _not_ to be absolutely taken in by the beautiful woman.

As the archer approached and was only inches away from her, Minako hesitantly brought her hazy sapphires to lock onto intense amethysts,

"See something you like, _Aino-chan_?," Rei whispered with a suggestive edge teasingly.

"…I-I…uh…," Minako stuttered, the Japanese language eluding her tongue as a dark blush began painting her cheeks. She averted her gaze submissively and turned her head bashfully, unable to hold those dangerously seductive lavenders any longer. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt Rei's presence move much closer. Her eyelids fluttered slightly as she felt sure fingers tuck a stray, blonde hair behind her ear, sending electrifying shivers down the length of her body. She bit her lip and tilted her head reflexively as she felt warm puffs of breath brushing lightly over the side of her neck as the archer leaned in to whisper in her ear,

"Mina," Rei purred softly, her smooth tone provocatively low, "You…," she whispered breathily, "…are so…," a soft moan hummed from her as she took a moment to breathe in the familiar scent of strawberries that was so distinctly Minako, "…incredibly…"

A wavering gasp breached the barrier of the gorgeous blonde's now parted lips as the raven-haired beauty spoke slowly with a sultry tone. Minako felt her insides clench as those soft lips brushed against the shell of her sensitive ear. It was a wonder she could hear anything at all with the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears,

"…ecchi," Rei finished around a smirk. The playful giggle that came from her as she stepped around the smaller woman and headed towards the front shōji doors broke Minako out of her trance and abruptly brought her back to the present moment,

"M-Mou, Rei-chaaaan!," Minako groaned loudly, half-frustrated and half-annoyed, realizing now that Rei was teasing her. This only caused the raven-haired beauty to laugh fully as she quickly slid one of the shōji doors open and exited the shrine with a now exasperated blonde close behind.

* * *

As Rei's grandfather set the tray of refreshments near the kitchen sink, he closed his eyes and reached out to take in the feeling of his beloved granddaughter's aura before it went too far out of his reach. Since she began living at the shrine with him, he had always sensed a touch of Heaviness and Sadness in her flame-red colors, as if she were carrying the weight of the world within her. Now, he could feel his beloved granddaughter's aura radiating strongly with Playful Lightheartedness, Joy, and Giddy Excitement. The last time he could remember feeling her aura exude such carefree emotions was before…

He took a deep, wavering intake of breath as he opened his eyes, releasing his read on his young granddaughter. The last time was before the diagnosis, before those long days spent at the hospital, before his pride and joy departed from this world to watch over him and his only granddaughter alongside the Kami of the universe…and before Rei's life took a drastic turn to be raised as a miko in a shrine.

Rei's grandfather smiled softly to himself. His beloved granddaughter was healing. She was finally allowing herself to feel happy. And he knew, even without his abilities, that it was all thanks to a certain young blonde who was currently with her.

The smile slipped from his lips as his thoughts turned towards the young blonde. Yes, they had gotten along very well and he found Minako to be quite pleasant, polite, intelligent, and with a good head on her shoulders. Her bubbly personality made it easy to be around her.

But there was just…something about her. Something…he couldn't quite pinpoint but that his instincts were telling him he needed to pay attention to.

He had allowed the makeup artist to direct the conversation, all the while taking the opportunity to silently study her. He followed her social cues, observed her mannerisms, and found nothing in particular that was of concern there.

He then studied her aura. He almost couldn't get past how strikingly similar it was to his only daughter's who he missed so dearly. The orange-gold colors were warm, comforting, and inviting. He could see why his beloved granddaughter would be so drawn to this young woman.

As he continued to study her aura, he began to realize something. Thought there was a fair amount of Hesitation and Nervousness in her aura that was reasonable given her situation, there was also an elusiveness to it. A sort of…haziness to it that most auras didn't have. But it was subtle, so much so that it nearly escaped his notice if he hadn't been concentrating. It seemed to prevent him from being able to read beyond only her superficial feelings.

Rei's grandfather sighed heavily. He crossed his arms as as he shook his head slowly with dismay, "Poor child," he whispered softly to himself in his raspy tone, "So fearful and guarded with her heart."

His thoughtful, dark gaze landed on the tray before him as he brought his attention to the nearly finished cup of green tea Minako had been drinking while they conversed. A worried expression came to his features, "And what role will you play for what's to come?," he whispered with concern.

Carefully, he lifted the cup from the tray and brought it to his face. He tilted the porcelain container slightly in various angles, examining the tealeaves at the bottom of the small container. His bushy eyebrows knit together on his forehead as he deciphered them analytically.

After a brief moment, his dark eyes widened slightly in shock, only to be replaced by a deep look of concern. His worn lips pursed into a thin line, "So…she's the one," he said slowly, as if testing the words out as he set the cup down. He stood there for a moment before a small smile began pulling at his lips, "Prettier than I had expected," he said as a soft, playfully chuckle came to him.

His smile faded and was replaced with a worried look as he turned and quickly shuffled to the hallway towards the rotary phone. Picking up the handset, he lifted it to his ear and began rotating the dial. He only had to wait half a ring before the person on the other end picked up,

"There's been a development, my dear," he said once the line was answered, "A young woman by the name of 'Aino Minako'."

He listened to the person on the other line before smiling softly, "Yes, she is," he said warmly, "And she's the one."

Words were spoken on the other line and he chuckled softly in reply, "With how guarded she is, I'm not surprised we were unable to see her clearly." His countenance fell, "Yes," he said solemnly as his brow furrowed, "It would seem her role is part of the catalyst for what's to come, but she may also be the key to tipping the scales in our favor," he said with a hint of optimism in his raspy voice.

He listened for a bit before he let out a heavy sigh, "The details are unclear, my child, but I know she will also have much to endure in the process if she chooses the path we hope for."

He paused before continuing, "She may not need guidance so much as…encouragement. Her insecurities and fears could be her downfall…and ours. But she also has such strength and determination of character. I have faith in her so long as she has the support she needs."

His countenance turned solemn, "I apologize for placing yet another burden on you during my absence, my child." He listened to the response from the other lined and smiled softly, "Thank you, dear."

He took an audible breath as he thought, "I don't believe so. I have some things I need to finalize tomorrow, but I've prepared everything else I could so there shouldn't be much to do while I'm gone." His face softened as a kind smile came to his worn lips, "Indeed, my dear," he said warmly, "I love you very much. Goodbye."

Rei's grandpa set the handset of the phone down on the telephone cradle, ending the call. He shuffled back into the kitchen and brought his attention to the cup of green tea he himself had been drinking while conversing with Minako. As he glanced into the small cup, a solemn look washed over his countenance, "It has begun, indeed," he said softly before picking up the small vessel and rinsing it out in the sink.

He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh before he whispered a quiet prayer, "Follow your heart rather than your fears, Aino-chan…for _both_ your sakes."

* * *

"You're leaving tomorrow?," Rei asked with a bit of surprise. She had spent the rest of the day showing Minako around the shrine grounds before returning to have dinner together with her grandfather. They had just finished their meal, sitting at the low table in the living room, before Rei's grandfather announced that he would be heading out first thing tomorrow morning.

"Mmn," Rei's grandfather nodded in reply to his granddaughter, who was sitting to his right, "Do you remember my childhood friends, the Tōdō's, who own the Buddhist temple just outside of Musashino? I have some business I need to attend to with them that I am unable to reschedule."

"Oh," Rei responded with slight disappointment underlying her smooth tone.

Rei's grandfather turned to the young blonde sitting to his left, "I'm truly sorry to have to run off like this during your visit with us, Aino-chan," he said apologetically.

"No, it's ok," Minako replied sincerely, "I'm glad I was able to spend some time with you today then."

"Mmn," Rei's grandfather nodded in agreement, "While I'm away, would it be too much to ask that you help Reiko with the shrine tomorrow in my absence?," he asked hopefully, "My granddaughter informed me that you were a manager of sorts as a profession. I was hoping you could help to organize and run our little store?"

"Sure, I can do that," Minako replied earnestly.

"Thank you, my dear," Rei's grandfather responded with a smile as he turned back towards his beloved granddaughter, "My apprentice should also be here tomorrow to assist with running the shrine. Would you be able to supervise him in my stead?"

Rei wrinkled her nose slightly in disgust, causing the elderly man to chuckle in reply, "Now, Reiko, I believe this will be good for his training to learn from a strong, young woman like yourself. Especially since you have the unique experience of growing up here."

"Yes, Grandpa," Rei replied, sighing in resignation.

"Wonderful," Rei's grandfather replied. He softened as he looked intently at the young archer, "Just…be sure to take care of yourself. Ok, my dear?"

Rei's violet eyes picked up on the subtle Concern being emitted by her grandfather's light-green colors. She could tell he was trying to subdue his worries about her abilities and being in close proximity to a stranger.

"Don't worry, Ojiisan. I'll make sure Reiko's safe," Minako said comfortingly. Rei glanced over at the gorgeous blonde sitting across from her at the low table and was met with piercing sapphires. Rei could see her orange-gold aura glowing brightly with Protectiveness, both for Rei's well-being and for her grandfather's to ease his concerns.

She also noticed Minako's use of her grandfather's nickname for her. The makeup artist had begun using the nickname progressively more in her speech since arriving and as the day went on. She continued to use '-chan' in more casual conversations, but seemed to reserve '-ko' for more tender and endearing moments.

How the gorgeous blonde used it now was no exception. The way the name sounded coming from her melodic voice, it was as if Minako were caring for the word itself within her tone. It made Rei's heart flutter with a bit of embarrassment and shyness. A small, bashful smile pulled at the archer's alluring lips.

Minako winked at her playfully, "And I'll make sure Rei-chan's on her best behavior tomorrow so that _your apprentice_ is safe also," she finished teasingly. Rei groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Excellent," Rei's grandfather chuckled in reply. He made to get up and collect the dishes from their meal.

"Oh, let me take care of that," Minako offered as she got up and quickly cleared the table.

"Why, thank you, Aino-chan," Rei's grandfather said appreciatively. Minako nodded with a charming smile before taking the dishes to the kitchen.

* * *

Once Minako left the living room, Rei brought her attention to her grandfather, "Alright, what's _really_ going on, Grandpa?," she asked as she examined his light-green aura. She could tell that there was something the elderly man was hiding from her.

Rei's grandfather only chuckled in reply before smiling softly, "Aino-chan is a very charming young woman, isn't she?," he said sincerely, addressing his beloved granddaughter, "I'm glad you were able to meet such a wonderful person, Reiko."

A dark blush came to Rei's pale cheeks as she averted her gaze down towards the table, "M-Mmn," she nodded shyly in reply, thrown by her grandfather's sudden comment. The archer began to feel a comforting, light-green color seep into her as her grandfather rested a worn hand gently on her shoulder.

"I believe your mother would have liked her as well," Rei's grandfather said kindly as he squeezed her shoulder gently before pulling away. Rei's head shot up at the simple statement that seemed to speak volumes, her intense amethysts meeting her grandfather's kind, knowing gaze as he smiled softly at her.

* * *

 ** _Ssssshuck_**

The sound of a fusuma door sliding open interrupted the moment as Minako came back into the living room after finishing up in the kitchen.

"Well, since the weather seems nice outside this evening," Rei's grandfather said as he stood up, "Why don't we retire to the backyard for some stargazing?"

"That sounds like fun," Minako replied cheerfully, "Rei-chan told me once that you sometimes use astrology when you read fortunes."

"My granddaughter speaks the truth," The elderly man chuckled good-naturedly. "Come," he said as he shuffled to Minako's side and began gently guided her towards the shōji doors that led to the backyard, "There is no other place in the country where you can see the night sky as clearly as you can from here." He turned towards Rei as they headed out, "Reiko, would you mind grabbing the spare blankets from the oshiire?"

"Y-Yes, Grandpa," Rei nodded obediently, subtly clearing her throat, "I-I'll meet you guy out there."

"Splendid," her grandfather replied warmly as he continued to lead Minako out to the backyard.

* * *

The miko silently thanked her grandfather for going ahead with Minako as she took a moment to collect herself and wipe the tears that had formed in her rare, violet eyes. As she got up from the table and watched her grandfather shuffle off, joking and laughing with the gorgeous blonde as he led her to the bench near the rock garden, her thoughts went to her mother and, for the first time in her life, it didn't feel as though her heart were being constricted with pain. Instead, she felt a calm sense of peace…and a soft smile found its way to her alluring lips.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Not my best chapter, I know. I've been wrestling with this since I posted my last one trying to get the set up perfect for things that will happen in the coming chapters.

Now, my part-time seasonal job will be starting up this week so that'll cut into my writing time even more and it just got to a point where I had to be ok with this chapter just being…well…ok. Otherwise, it might have been a _much longer_ while before I could get this posted, subsequently delaying my ability to write the rest of this story. At least now I feel like I can move on with the stuff that's going to happen when I get a chance to write again! =D

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 11/2015)


	35. Chapter 35

**Author Note:** There's really nothing like 2 years of life getting in the way of a story.

Lots has happened but I do work on this every day. It seems my problem isn't with the story itself, I've analyzed and tweaked it to death and it's been completed in my mind since 2014. My problem is in how to convey it in written form.

I have no excuses, only apologies. =\

 **omamori** = [Japanese] protective amulets or lucky charms.

 **yaku-yoke omamori** = [Japanese] protective amulets or lucky charm specifically for avoidance of evil.

 **kaiun omamori** = [Japanese] protective amulets or lucky charm specifically for better fortune.

 **omikuji** = [Japanese] small scroll of paper with general blessing written on them.

 **ema** = [Japanese] wooden plaque for writing prayers or wishes on.

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Clarkson, K., Hodges, D., Moody, B., (2004). _Because Of You_ [Recorded by Kelly Clarkson]. On Breakaway [CD], North Hollywood, California: NRG Recording Studios _._

Vesely, J. (2008). _Fall For You_ [Recorded by Secondhand Serenade]. On A Twist In My Story [CD], New York, New York: Glassnote Records _._

Brannan, J., (2008). _Half-Boyfriend_ [Recorded by Jay Brannan]. On Goddamned [CD], Los Angeles, California: Nettwerk Music Group _._

The character Superwoman belongs to DC Comics (cited May, 2017). The character is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

* * *

 **Chapter 35:**

"Here, Grandpa," Rei said gently as she approached and handed her grandfather a can of hot tea from a nearby vending machine. Her breath came out in small, white puffs as it hit the crisp, morning air. She was wearing a pair of charcoal, banded sweatpants and an oversized, red hoodie that effectively hid most of her long, raven hair tucked into the back of it.

"Thank you, Reiko," Rei's grandfather said sincerely as he carefully took the offered drink. He was sitting on a worn, wooden bench, wearing his usual shrine garbs with the addition of a simple, thick, khaki jacket over his haori.

 ** _Whoooooooot! Eeeeeeeeeeee…Chhhhhhhhhhh!_**

The sound of a train whistling as it pulled in and came to a stop at the rural, outdoor station disrupted the once peaceful atmosphere that surrounded them.

"Right on time," Rei's grandfather said cheerfully as he collected his day-bag and stood up.

Rei pulled out her phone from her pocket and checked the time, 6:10am. "As usual," she said with a smirk. She loved the simplicity of her hometown, or at least where she grew up as it could hardly be considered a 'town' given how rural the area was. Everything seemed to always go as planned here.

"You sure you have everything you need?," Rei asked, a hint of concern evident in her tone as she returned the phone to her pocket and followed her grandfather as he headed to the open door of a passenger car.

"Yes, Reiko," Rei's grandfather chuckled good-naturedly, stopping at the door and turning to face the young archer, "You always make such a fuss over me, child."

"I just worry, that's all," Rei shrugged in feigned defensiveness.

"I know, my dear," Rei's grandfather replied with a soft smile, "And I appreciate it. Truly. I consider myself very lucky to have such a caring and loving granddaughter."

Rei averted her gaze to the side, nodding shyly in silent acknowledgement, "S-So I'll pick you up when your train comes in tomorrow morning?," she asked with a slight cough, attempting to act nonchalant and cover up how much her grandfather's words affected her. Only a slight blush that began tinting her pale cheeks and the hand she brought up to rub the back of her neck bashfully gave her away.

"Mmn," Rei's grandfather nodded in confirmation, "I will be sure to call you from the station in Musashino when I am on my way back."

 ** _Whoooot Whoooooooot!_**

The train whistle echoed throughout the station, signaling its inevitable departure.

"Oh! I must go or they will surely leave without me," Rei's grandfather said quickly with a chuckle as he turned to board the train, "I will see you soon, grandda-"

His words were cut short as he drew a sharp intake of breath, coming to a sudden stop in his tracks. His eyes widened in shock and surprise. As his mind began to catch up to what was happening, his senses took in an encompassing warmth surrounding him that was paired with strong, flame-red colors permeating into his being. It was gentle, yet sure, and so full of Love that it caused tears to pool in his eyes at the intensity of it.

"Have a safe trip, Grandpa," Rei's smooth voice said softly. Before her beloved grandfather was able to board the train, she knelt down to his height and brought him in for a big hug. She could feel the initial Shock and Hesitancy in his light-green colors at her actions, which caused her to hold him tighter, to show him that this was ok, that _she_ was ok. A small, content smile formed on her lips as she felt his light-green aura begin to soften, his arms coming up around her to return the gesture.

They stayed that way for a moment longer before they both gently pulled away. Wise, dark orbs that shimmered with the hint of tears met intense, warm amethysts in a brief, silent exchange before Rei's grandfather broke the silence.

"Thank you, my dear Reiko," he whispered endearingly. Though his raspy voice was quiet, it carried a depth to it that meant so much more than the simple words themselves could ever convey. He brought his worn hand up to rest on the side of the archer's pale neck, "Be good while I'm away, ok?"

"Yes, Grandpa," Rei replied softly as she nodded obediently. He allowed his hand to slip gently away from his beloved granddaughter before turning and boarding the train.

 ** _Psssssssssh! Chhhhhhhhhh! Chug…Chug…Chug…Chug…_**

Rei stood up as the doors of the train shut and the locomotive began slowly pulling away from the station. She watched as her grandfather shuffled down the aisle of the passenger car to his seat. Once he was settled in a window-seat, he looked up at her and waved through the glass with a warm smile on his worn face. Rei smiled softly and gave a small wave back as he passed by. Once she was no longer able to see him, Rei turned and headed back through the station to retrieve her car and return to the shrine.

* * *

Once his granddaugher was out of sight, Rei's grandfather closed his eyes tightly and let out a long, shaky breath as the train cleared the station. When he opened them again, he couldn't help the proud smile that pulled at his worn lips. Rei had grown emotionally strong enough to allow others in. She was beginning to trust herself with others and, more importantly, entrust others _with_ herself.

 _Thank you, Aino-chan,_ he thought to himself quietly as he brought a corner of his hakama sleeve up to his eyes to dab at the tears that started to form. He knew full-well that the young makeup artist was responsible for him being able to embrace his beloved granddaughter after so many years.

A thought crossed his mind and he let out a long, mournful sigh as his countenance fell. His dark eyes landed on the warm can of tea he was holding in his lap that Rei had given to him only moments ago.

 _Kami-sama, forgive me for my insolence and selfishness,_ he thought to himself as he closed his eyes and prayed silently, _But please…just…one more time. Just…once more…that's all I ask._

The train continued steadily on its way, rattling down the track towards its intended destination.

* * *

 _"_ _My dad's_ _really_ _smart. He's a teacher and knows_ _lots_ _of stuff," a chubby little boy, no older than 4 or 5 years old, boasted proudly, "What's your dad like?," he asked curiously._

 _"_ _I don't have one. I just have a Mommy," a young girl about the same age with a melodic voice replied casually with a shrug, "But she's_ _awesome!_ _," she continued with pride, "She's like Superwoman. She has three jobs and-"_

 _"_ _Only bad kids don't have a mom_ _and_ _a dad," the boy interrupted matter-of-factly with an authoritative air, "My parents told me that no mom or dad would_ _ever_ _leave their kids unless they didn't want them or they did something bad. That means you must have done something to make your dad not want you anymore and leave."_

 _"_ _Nah ah!," the young girl retorted with exasperation, stomping her small foot to emphasize her words._

 _"_ _Yeah, huh! Ask your mom!," the boy jeered as he pointed a chubby finger accusingly at the little girl, "I bet she tells you that you did something_ _really_ _bad! I bet she says there's something wrong with you and that's why your dad left!," he taunted as he ran off._

* * *

 _ **Cha-Chunk**_

 _"…_ _Mommy?," the young girl's soft, melodic voice was hesitant as she announced her presence to the woman who had just walked into the tiny apartment and shut the door._

 _"_ _Honey? What's wrong? You should be in bed," the woman said with concern and surprise. Though she sounded tired, her voice was gentle and kind. She approached the young girl and knelt down to her height, "Are you ok? What on Earth are you doing up this late?," she asked as she reached up and brushed the young girl's bangs out of her eyes._

 _"_ _Ummm…," the young girl began nervously, "Why…Why don't we have a dad?"_

 _The woman paused, taken aback by the question that seemed to come out of nowhere. After a moment, she took an audible breath that seemed full of despair, "He…he left, honey," she replied softly, "He left a long time ago."_

 _"_ _Is it…," the young girl began, her innocent, melodic voice sounding close to tears, "Is it because I did_ _something that-"_

 _"_ _No. Honey, no," the woman's voice replied reassuringly as she reached out and brought the young girl closer to envelope her in a comforting hug, "He left before you two were born. You didn't do anything wrong."_

 _"_ _Then…Is it because there's something wrong with me?," the young girl asked, her voice nearly a whisper now as she tried to hold back tears, anticipating her mother would confirm her fears, "Is that why he left?"_

 _"_ _No, honey. He just-" the woman began as she shook her head and pulled away to look at her child while keeping her hands on the young girl's shoulders. She stopped as her eyes were met by anxious sapphires, waiting for an explanation…a reason…anything, really._

 _Those eyes…the same color as his..._

 _The woman averted her gaze to the floor, unable to hold those pleading cobalts any longer as she was transported back to memories of a moment in time so long ago, "H-He…He wasn't happy that...He just didn't like…H-He…didn't want-," the woman's voice cracked as she finished her sentence, the last word nearly lost behind her hand that swiftly came up to cover her mouth as her eyes closing tightly. She was silent for a moment before she took a sharp intake of breath, bringing her hand from her mouth to the corners of her eyes, subtly wiping away the tears that were beginning to form there, "It's…it's hard for Mommy to talk about, honey," she explained gently._

 _She took another deep breath and let it out slowly, composing herself as she began to reign in her own emotions. Once she found some semblance of control again, her eyes came up to meet those innocent, azure eyes as she formulated words to explain to her young child the complications of the adult world, "There's nothing wrong with you. With either of you. You didn't do anything wrong and it's not your fault, ok?" she said sincerely with conviction, emphasizing her words as she squeezed her daughter's shoulders comfortingly._

 _The young girl nodded softly in reply._

 _"_ _Ok," the woman responded. She kissed the young girl softly on the forehead before she stood up, "In any case, he's gone. There's no need to talk about him anymore," she said quietly but just loud enough for the young girl to hear._

 _The woman began sniffling, "M-Mommy's really tired, honey," she said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper and began to crack again as she turned away, "It's late, y-you should go to bed too. I love you."_

 _The young girl watched as the woman quickly walked past her, sniffling more now, as she entered a room and shut the door swiftly but quietly behind her. The young girl stood there for a moment before slowly making her way to the bedroom that she shared with her twin sister. As she laid in bed, tears slowly trickled from her eyes onto her pillow as her mother's words played over and over in her mind until she cried herself to sleep,_

"H-He…He wasn't happy that...He just didn't like…H-He…didn't want…

…girls. _"_

* * *

Sapphire eyes shot open wide as Minako took a sharp intake of breath, abruptly waking from the dream she was experiencing. As the gorgeous blonde blinked a few times, she sniffled as she rolled to her back and stared at the lone dome light in the center of the ceiling in an attempt to orient herself.

She was laying on a white, twin-sized futon on the tatami floor of Rei's bedroom. To her right a few feet away was a wall made of a row of shōji doors that led to the backyard and allowed for the natural, early-morning light to seep into the simple room. To her left a couple feet away was a solid wall painted in a light, earthy-green color that had a couple, simple wall-scrolls with Shinto teachings painted on them in beautiful calligraphy. The wall directly below her feet a few feet away was mostly plain, cream-colored, fusuma doors that kept the contents of Rei's closet tucked away, save one part of the right corner of the wall, which was where the door that led to the rest of house was located. In the top-left corner a few feet away from her head was a modest bookcase that housed a few books, a small panda plush-doll, and some photos of a younger Rei with her grandfather, some of Haruka and Michiru when they were younger, and an older, slightly-yellowed photo of a young, stunningly beautiful, blunette woman who bore a striking resemblance to Rei wearing an elegant, pink kimono with white flowers printed on the fabric, sitting gracefully on one of the stone benches in the backyard. Directly above her head was another wall, but with a large, circular, wooden window with two muntins that bisected the window vertically and horizontally through the center for a view of part of the backyard on this side of the property. To the top-right corner a few feet away from her head was a sizeable, wooden table meant for the center of the room during the daytime with four zabutons neatly stacked on its surface. Tucked between the bookcase and the table was Rei's neatly, folded twin-sized futon, blanket, and pillow.

The sounds of distant birds chirping and the bubblings of water flowing in the backyard helped to calm her nerves as she found her bearings. She sniffled again and, as she blinked, realized that she had been crying in her sleep. She took a deep, shaky breath, and released it slowly to steady herself as she brought a hand up to wipe away the residual tears and wet trails that had formed in the corners of her azure eyes due to her troubling dream.

But...what _was_ the dream? She had awoken so abruptly, she could only recall mere snippets here and there and even those minuscule pieces were quickly fading from recollection. But the vivid emotions, the heaviness, the…pain…continued to remain just so.

The gorgeous blonde raised herself to a sitting position, pulling her knees that were still under the covers close to her chest as if to warm herself from the chills that lingered from the dream.

Would she even consider it a dream at all? It felt so real…so tangible.

She rested her chin on her knees as she pulled them closer. Her elegant eyebrows knit together in a worried line, trying to comprehend what could have possibly triggered such intensity in her sleep. She retraced her steps from the day before, beginning with arriving at the shrine, chatting with Rei's grandfather, taking a tour of the grounds, and ending the day with dinner and stargazing where Rei's grandfather shared some of his astrology knowledge and old folklore tales his parents used to tell him, while Rei added in her own knowledge on mythology she learned in college. From there, she and Rei prepared Rei's room for bed by laying out their futons side-by-side, discussed plans for the next day, and fell asleep cuddling and holding hands.

She absently slid a hand up to toy with her locket at the thought of Rei and her grandfather. Their relationship was incredibly adorable. The way Rei grumbled but allowed her beloved grandfather to tease her with his signature sense of humor, how respectful and obedient she was to him and how he doted on her and beamed with pride any time he would talk about her. It was sweet and she could tell that they loved each other practically like father and daughter.

An uneasiness began to settle in her chest at the thought. She shut her eyes tightly and buried her face into her knees as if to block out the world. Though she did breathe a sigh of relief and greatly appreciated the fact that Rei's grandfather was so welcoming to her and treated her like family given her and Rei's relationship, a small part of her felt a bit…troubled. Minako always thought she wasn't missing anything being raised in a single-parent household, despite the fact that her mother worked so hard and was out most of the time supporting her and Usagi.

Now, after seeing how close Rei and her grandfather were, a part of her…maybe…to some degree…wished...

 ** _\- I'm forced to fake a smile, a laugh everyday of my life. My heart can't possibly break when it wasn't even whole to start with. Because of you, I never stray too far from the sidewalk. Because of you, I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt. Because of you, I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me. Because of you, I am afraid. -_**

The sounds of a pop-piano ballad softly playing nearby effectively disrupted the makeup artist's thoughts. Minako lifted her head and opened her cobalt eyes to glance down at her phone which was lying on the floor next to her futon and streaming music that was meant to act as an alarm of sorts to help her wake up so she could assist with the shrine as promised. She reached over, flipped the device open, and pressed a button to stop the music. She glanced at the time, 6:10am.

 _I should get up and shower_ , she thought to herself, hoping she'd be able to wash away the weight in her chest and the disturbing feelings she had conjured during slumber.

She slid out of her futon, folded it away with Rei's bedding, moved the table and zabutons back to the center of the room, collected the items she needed to start her morning routine, and headed towards the bathroom.

* * *

Once Minako had finished her morning routine and had breakfast, she made her way to the backyard to take a moment and enjoy her coffee. She was wearing a white tank-top, army-green shorts, and a pair of wooden sandals as she sat with her legs crossed on a stone bench near the koi pond, listening to the soothing sounds of water as it flowed into the pond and through the backyard.

The anxiety she had upon waking was quickly forgotten as she breathed in the peaceful morning air, taking in the tranquility of the place, and letting it out in the form of a content, melodic sigh. Though she had only spent less than a day here at Rei's home so far, she had already decided that it was _definitely_ one of her favorite places in the world, with the backyard being _the_ favorite, hands-down.

As Minako savored the last of her morning coffee, she decided it was time to get down to business and head over to familiarize herself with the gift shop. She was about to stand up and head back to the kitchen to put up her coffee mug when-

 _ **Ssssshuck**_ ** _…_** ** _Ssssshhhuck…Thunk…_**

A muffled sound caught her attention. She paused her movements for a moment to listen, wondering if perhaps it was something she just imagined.

 ** _…_**

When she was met only with the natural sounds of the backyard, she relaxed and let out a soft chuckle, _I guess it was just my imagina-_

 _ **Wwwwrrrrrrrr**_ ** _…_**

Minako let out a quiet, startled gasp as she jumped up from her seat. She turned quickly towards the muffled sounds, which seemed to be coming from behind her within the shrine.

 ** _Thunk…Ssshhh…Ssshhh_**

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as her heart began to race. Her thoughts began betraying her, imagining all sorts of possibilities from ghosts, to rabid woodland creatures, to robbers or thieves.

 ** _Clink…Clack…Ssshhh…_**

The muffled sounds continued to come from the shrine, causing Minako's curiosity to win out over her fears. She swallowed hard before quietly making her way to the edge of the deck that bordered the back of the shrine. She slipped out of her wooden sandals and tip-toed quietly towards the back shōji doors of the shrine.

The sounds got louder as she quietly slid one of the doors open, confirming that they were in fact coming from within the space. Wide, wary cobalts scanned the vast space within the shrine cautiously. The space itself was mostly illuminated by the morning sunlight seeping through the thin material of the shōji doors…

Except for a small sliver of harsh, artificial lighting that contrasted sharply with the natural glow coming from outside. The incandescent light, was escaping from a narrow slit where one of the wood panels near the front shōji doors towards the far-left corner was left slightly ajar.

 ** _Clack…Ssshhh…_**

There was no doubt now that the sounds were definitely coming from behind the barely open wooden panel. Minako swallowed hard and quickly scanned the room again to see if there was any form of weapon she could use to defend herself before investigating the sounds. Her azure eyes landed on a simple, bamboo broom that was partially tucked underneath the elevated platform where she and Rei's grandfather had sat the day before.

Minako tried to keep her breath steady and quiet as she tip-toed towards the stage, placed her mug down on top of it, and gingerly picked up the broom. Holding the item in both hands tightly, she cautiously made her way to the wooden panel.

 ** _Thunk…Clack clack…Ssshhh…_**

The sounds continued to increase in volume as she neared. She could hear soft rustling sounds and shuffling that confirmed to Minako that perhaps it was not a ' _what'_ that was behind the panel, but rather a ' _who'._

She continued to approach quietly and was able to close the distance unnoticed with less than a foot to go from the panel until…

 ** _…_** ** _crrrEEAAAAkkkk…_**

Minako froze as one of the floorboards she had stepped on groaned loudly beneath her foot.

The sounds coming from behind the wooden panel abruptly stopped. After a moment, she could hear a quiet, slow shuffling coming from behind it that seemed to be coming towards her.

 _Fuck!_ , she cursed to herself, barely even able to breathe. Whoever was behind the panel was getting closer and was bound to run into her. Knowing it was too late now to run, she steeled herself and gripping the broom in her hands tighter, slowly raising it in a ready position as she watched the wooden panel slowly slide open.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!," Minako screamed as she closed her eyes and swung the broom down as hard as she could.

"WHOAAAA!," she heard a male voice cry out.

 ** _CRASH! CLASH! THUNK THUNK!_**

The frazzled blonde hesitantly opened her azure eyes to see a figure with long, shaggy, brown hair that went just past broad shoulders, face-down, sprawled on the floor, and moaning painfully. He was surrounded by an array of cleaning supply bottles, stiff-bristled brushes, rags, some buckets, and a couple mops that were scattered across the floor of what appeared to be a small storage closet.

The man groaned and he slowly struggled to bring himself up onto his elbows. As the man let out another groan while attempting to pull his knees underneath himself to try and get up, Minako came back to her senses and cobalt eyes widened as she began to register the pale-green hakama and white haori the man was wearing.

"Oh, shit!," she exclaimed in mortification as she dropped the broom and immediately went to kneel down next to the man, "Oh my gods! I'm _so_ sorry!," she said as she reached out to try and helped him up, "Are you alri-"

"I-I don't have any money!," the man sputtered as he jerked away quickly from Minako, causing her to jump back suddenly. The man's voice, though filled with panic, was low and had a husky quality to it. He kept his head down and his hands up defensively in surrender, "B-But you can take my car! J-Just leave the shrine alone, ok? Please! I-It's a holy place!"

Minako was puzzled for a moment by the man's reaction until realization hit her, "O-Oh! N-No, no, no!," she exclaimed loudly, "I-I'm just visiting! I heard some noises coming from back here and I thought _you_ were an intruder or something!," she clarified frantically as she waved her hands in front of her to emphasize her point.

The man paused for a moment before raising his head hesitantly to look at his attacker warily, his eyes mostly hidden behind long, full bangs. Minako smiled apologetically as she waved gingerly with one hand, "Hi," she managed sheepishly, "You must be the apprentice?"

The man blinked a couple times before he let out a loud, relieved sigh and began chuckling as he relaxed, "H-Hi," he managed with a nod, "Mmn, I'm-," he let out another groan as he tried to stand up, interrupting his statement.

"Here, let me help you," Minako said quickly as she took hold of his arm and helped the man stand up.

"T-Thanks," the apprentice replied once he was standing. Minako stepped back a bit to give him space to breathe and stretch the soreness from his muscles. She noticed, once he had straightened, he was a whole head-and-a-half taller than herself, appeared to be about her age, and had a bit of stubble on his classically handsome face.

The young man let out an audible breath as he brought a hand up to run his fingers through his thick hair, briefly brushing the bangs out of his face to reveal bushy, brown eyebrows and kind, dark-blue eyes, "Woooh! I guess that's _one_ way to get your blood going in the morning," he commented humorously.

"You ok?," Minako asked with concern, "I was so nervous when you opened the door that I closed my eyes when I took a swing at you. I hope I didn't hit you _too_ hard."

"A-Actually, you missed," the apprentice replied sheepishly as his cheeks tinted a slight shade of red. He brought a hand up to scratch his cheek, as he looked away, "I managed to dodge when you swung, but then I ended up running into the shelves behind me and that's when everything ended up falling on top of me."

They stood there for a moment before both of them began to chuckle at the situation, which turned quickly into a good laugh, breaking the earlier tension.

"Well, anyways, I'm _really_ sorry," Minako said once their laughter began to die down.

"No, it was my fault for startling you," the apprentice said reassuringly. He brought his arm up so he could read his wristwatch, "We usually don't get visitors to the shrine this early in the morning so I wasn't really expecting anyone to be in here right now."

"Oh, I'm not here to visit the shrine," Minako clarified, "I mean, I sort of am. I'm actually here visiting Ojiisan with-."

"F-Forgive me!," the young man exclaimed abruptly in mortification as he immediately bowed low towards Minako, startling her from her explanation, "I should have known it was you!," he contined, "My _deepest_ apologies for disturbing you and your morning prayers! I hope I can be of great service to you today!"

"…E-Excuse me?," Minako commented after a brief moment once she registered his statements. She was puzzled by the apprentice's reaction.

The young man looked up hesitantly, "A-Aren't you Sensei's granddaughter?," he asked nervously, "I mean…you said you were here to see your 'Ojiisan', right? He told me that you would be visiting and I would be in your care for some of the time as part of my training?"

It was the young man's turn to be confused as the gorgeous blonde before him began to laugh melodically in response. He straightened slowly, tilting his head as he eying her questioningly.

"I think we need to start over," Minako finally responded with a friendly smile as her laughter at the situation came to an end. She bowed politely towards the apprentice, "Good morning, my name's Aino Minako and I was trying to say I'm visiting the shrine with Ojiisan's granddaughter," she said before she straightened, "She went to drop him off at the train station earlier this morning and hasn't come back yet. I'll be helping out with the giftshop for today. And, just to be clear, he told me to call him 'Ojiisan' so we're not _actually_ related or anything."

"O-Oh! Oh, I see. Sorry about that," the apprentice nodded with a bashful blush, finally understanding the situation. He bowed politely towards the gorgeous blonde, "My name's Kumada Yuuichirou. I'm originally from Sapporo and I'm a senior at Kokugakuin University, studying to become a priest. I've been apprenticing with Sensei here at the shrine for the past year to prepare for graduation so I can go back home and sit for my Jinja Honchō exam and become a priest at the shrine in my hometown."

"Nice to meet you, Kumada-san," Minako nodded cheerfully as Yuuichirou straightened.

"Likewise," Yuuichirou responded in kind. His gaze shifted slightly to the side of Minako and he began to chuckle to himself.

"What's so funny?," Minako asked curiously.

"Nothing, sorry," Yuuichirou replied as he returned his gaze towards the make-up artist, "Actually, the reason I was in here in the first place was to find a broom so I could sweep up the courtyard out front." He gestured towards the broom on the floor that Minako had used to attack him earlier, "I wasn't really expecting the broom to come find _me_."

Minako giggled in response to Yuuichirou's joke. She was starting to become more comfortable around the apprentice, given his polite and mild-mannered personality. She bent down, picked up the broom, and handed it to him, "Yeah, you should really be careful with that thing. It can be pretty lethal," she joked playfully.

"Apparently," Yuuichirou responded in playful agreement as he took the broom, also becoming comfortable around Minako, given her sense of humor, "So, you said you were going to help run the giftshop today, right? Since Sensei's granddaughter isn't back yet, would you like me to help you get that set up?"

"Sure, that'd be great," Minako replied cheerfully with a nod. She looked towards the ground and began to giggle, "But _you_ probably need more help than _me_ right now, huh?" she joked as she gestured towards the mess that was still on the floor.

"Oh, right. Yeah, I guess so," Yuuichirou said bashfully, his cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. He chuckled as he brought the back of his hand up to rub the edge of his forehead. He winced slightly as his hand brushed upon a bruise that was beginning to form a little above his right eye.

"Why don't we leave this here for now," Minako suggested worriedly, noticing Yuuichirou's discomfort and the bluish-purple bump beginning to form above his eye. She stepped closer and reached up, gently brushing Yuuichirou's thick bangs out of the way so she could help examine the severity of his injury, "I think maybe you and I should go inside first. We can-"

"I-I'm sorry, A-Aino-san!," Yuuichirou interrupted hurriedly. He quickly took a step back and held his hands up in an apologetic, defensive manner that kept Minako away and out of reach, "I-It's just that…w-well, I…w-what I'm trying to say is…i-it's not that you're…oh, boy," he stammered nervously. He averted his gaze to the ground and brought a hand to rub the back of his neck anxiously in an attempt to collect his thoughts.

Minako was perplexed by this reaction, noticing that his face had begun turning red. She became even more confused and arched a delicate eyebrow at the apprentice as the seemingly nonsensical fragments of statements followed. But she allowed him to finish so she could see where exactly he was going with his odd train of thought,

"Sorry, I just…," the apprentice continued nervously, "Y-You see I…I have a girlfriend…a fiancé, really…b-back home in Sapporo. And I really love her, s-so…I mean, you're nice and all, but…y-you and I…w-we, we can't-"

"Whoa! Wait a minute! What!?," Minako interrupted loudly, her cobalt eyes grew wide with mortification from Yuuichirou's implications. She reflexively put her hands up innocently, taking a slight step back to emphasize her point as a slight blush began painting her delicate cheeks at the implication in Yuuichirou's comments, "N-No, no! Gods, that's totally _not_ where I was going with that!" She raised her left hand and gestured above her left eye, "It looks like you have a pretty nasty bruise growing right here from earlier," she explained quickly mirroring the location of his bruise on herself, "I was just trying to say we should go find you some ice in the kitchen or something to help with that!"

Yuuichirou blinked a few times, processing Minako's words, before his face turned a deep shade of crimson, "M-My apologies, Aino-san!," he exclaimed, immediately bowing low towards the gorgeous blonde, "I thought that you…I mean, I didn't want you to think that I…oh, Kami-sama, please forgive me! I-I hope I didn't offend you!"

"N-No, it's ok," Minako reassured, taking a subtle breath of relief to calm her nerves from the miscommunication.

Yuuichirou sheepishly straightened slowly. His eyes were trained on the floor as he raised a hand to aimlessly scratch his cheek, "I-I've been told that I have a tendency to…rush to conclusions," he stated hesitantly.

"Apparently," Minako responded in a teasing manner.

"S-Sensei's been helping me to slow down and work on that through my meditations," Yuuichirou explained, "But I guess…old habits die hard," he shrugged with an apologetic tone.

The apprentice was met by melodic laughter and he looked up to see the gorgeous blonde before him nearly doubled over laughing. He anxiously eyed the gorgeous blonde, unsure of what to make of her reaction, still nervous about possibly offending the young woman.

"You know, if you weren't such an earnest guy, I probably would've thought you were just plain conceited," Minako finally managed once she was able to catch her breath, taking an opportunity to playfully tease the apprentice to break the tension. This seemed to have the desired effect as Yuuichirou began to chuckle in response to the friendly ribbing, "And, sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually taken as well," she continued teasingly with a playful wink, "When I said I was visiting the shrine with Ojiisan's granddaughter, I meant I was here _with_ her."

"Oh," was all the apprentice said flatly in reply with a polite nod. There was a brief pause and Minako nearly broke into another fit of giggles as she was met by Yuuichirou innocent expression that plainly showed he had no idea what she was saying. She could almost see the question marks in his poor, honest eyes before the pieces began falling into place and it finally dawned on him what she meant, "Oh…OH! Oh, oh! I see! Got it! Cool!," he nodded and gave Minako a thumbs-up to convey that he now understood the situation. He seemed to visibly relax with this new piece of information, "Well…good! I'm glad that's all cleared up between us then!"

"You sure you didn't hit your head _too_ hard earlier?," Minako asked cheekily with a playful smirk.

"Possibly," Yuuichirou replied good-naturedly with a chuckle as he brought his hand up again to gingerly probe the swollen area above his eye, wincing again as a sharp pain followed the action.

"Mou! Stop touching it!," Minako chided as she stepped forward and gently swatted his hand away. She quickly turned him around and began marching him towards the back shoji doors of the shrine, pushing him along, "Now let's go take care of that before you make it any worse and lose more brain cells!"

A full laugh was all the apprentice responded with as he allowed himself to be shoved towards the house by the bubbly blonde.

* * *

 _ **-**_ _ **This is not what I intended.**_ _ **I always swore to you I'd never fall apart.**_ _ **You always thought that I was stronger.**_ _ **I may have failed, but**_ _ **I have loved you from the start.**_ _ **Oh, but hold your breath**_ _ **because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you o**_ _ **ver again.**_ _ **Don't make me change my mind or**_ _ **I won't live to see another day.**_ _ **I swear it's true.**_ _ **Because a girl like you is impossible to find.**_ _ **It's impossible.**_ _ **So breathe in so deep.**_ _ **Breathe me in,**_ _ **I'm yours to keep.**_ _ **And hold onto your words**_ _ **'cause talk is cheap.**_ _ **And remember me tonight when you're asleep. -**_

"Really?," Yuuichirou asked in disbelief over the smooth, alternative rock song playing over a small, portable radio. He was standing outside the front of the giftshop's display counter, the omamoris he was holding quickly forgotten given his shock.

"Mmn," Minako replied from inside the gifshop as she wrote down the number of yaku-yoke omamoris she had counted onto a makeshift inventory log she created. She carefully gathered most of them and placed them neatly in a cardboard file box before setting that on a shelf nearby. Once complete, she collected the remaining ones she left out and began arranging them on the display counter near other various omamoris and trinkets. After helping Yuuichirou tend to his wounds and adorning a spare set of miko garbs Rei's grandfather had provided for her to use for the day, the pair began setting up the quaint giftshop.

The shop itself was little more than a simple bamboo hut that could hold perhaps three to four individuals snugly inside. A single door at the rear served as an entrance and exit for staff to come and go while the front had a large cut-out and simple, long wooden plank jutting outwards to serve as a display counter and service window. The roof was high enough for there to be three levels of shelving and drawers on both sides of the interior housing boxes marked with inventory and supplies. After a quick examination, the make-up artist realized instantly that there was really no organized system in place for the merchandise and knowing how many were sold or restocked and began creating one from scratch with Yuuichirou's help. Given their comical introduction to each other earlier in the day, they continued their friendly relationship and conversations as they performed their tasks under Minako's expertise and guidance.

"No, seriously, Aino-san," the apprentice insisted, getting the gorgeous blonde's attention, "You're saying Hino Rei… _the_ Hino Rei…is Sensei's granddaughter?," he asked in subdued astonishment.

"Mmn," Minako replied matter-of-factly as she nodded with a casual shrug, "It's probably good for you to know now so you're not taken by surprise later when she comes back from the train station."

"Wow," was all the young man could say, still in awe by this new piece of information. His attention immediately went back to Minako, "Wait…Earlier you said you were dating Sensei's granddaughter. So…that means…," he allowed the sentence to trail off as a wide, friendly smile appeared on his face, "Awesome! Way to go!," he exclaimed as he raised his hand up towards her.

"Thanks," Minako chuckled in amusement as she leaned over the counter and returned his high five, "But I have to warn you, she's really protective of her privacy and space. Especially when it comes to strangers. She can be a bit…standoff-ish," the gorgeous blonde explained, trying in her own subtle way to support Rei in having to be in close proximity to a male stranger without giving too much away, "It'll help if you just stay calm when you're around her but also give her some space, you know?"

"Oh, of course," Yuuichirou replied quickly as he nodded in understanding, "I mean, I'm sure she gets a lot of fans bombarding her because she's famous. For me, the fact that she's Sensei's daughter and is really experienced as a miko and running a shrine…and me having the opportunity to learn from her? It's just…Kami-sama, I'm just really amped to absorb as much as I can from her," he said eagerly as he continued organizing some kaiun omamoris on the display, "Ok, how does that look?," he asked, changing the subject to the matter at hand.

"Hmm," Minako said as she took a brief moment to eye the array of merchandise, "I think we need to have a couple more omikujis and emas on the table to round out the display," she said thoughtfully as more of a statement.

"Here, I can get them for you," Yuuichirou said cheerfully as he began making his way around the shop to the back entrance.

"It's ok, I'll get them," Minako replied as she collected a two-foot step ladder nestled in the corner next to the counter and set about retrieving the needed box.

* * *

 ** _\- I don't know where we're going, but I know we've gone too far. And I hope it isn't showing, but I think I love you. And I can't believe you're leaving just when I let you in and when you had me believing I could feel again. -_**

The fluttery, indie-folk song played softly over the radio as Rei drove back to the shrine. Due to the morning sun already burning off the morning mist, she had opted to remove her hoodie in the car, which freed her raven mane and revealed the black T-shirt she was wearing underneath. As she turned onto the dirt road that led to her home, she instantly slowed the car to a stop and turned the volume down on the radio. Her elegant eyebrows furrowed as her intense amethysts narrowed ever so slightly.

 _I guess he's here already,_ Rei groaned to herself as she let out a dejected sigh. Her intense violets began tinting to a shade of indigo as she sensed an unfamiliar presence at her home. She swallowed hard, struggling to fight the tension that was beginning to set in while trying to keep in mind that she was doing this as a favor for her beloved grandfather. Her hands gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter at the thought of having to interact with a stranger…and a _man_ no less…for most of the day. Yes, she agreed to be a gracious host and assist in mentoring her grandfather's apprentice, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She closed her eyes tightly as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

As she did that, her abilities were immediately drawn towards a comforting, warm, orange-gold essence, as if searching for solace from the anxiety developing. Even with just that simple sensation, she felt herself calm significantly, her shoulders falling slowly in relaxation from the tense state they were in. The corner of her alluring lips pulled up into a soft smile at the sensation, _At least I won't be alone,_ she thought to herself reassuringly. She quickly pinpointed the gorgeous blonde's location at the giftshop before taking a couple deep, meditative breaths and relaxed her abilities. She opened her piercing, amethysts and, with a new found confidence, continued on her path towards her home.

* * *

"You sure you got it?," Yuuichirou asked cautiously. He had made his way into the giftshop and was standing nearby watching the make-up artist balancing precariously on the tips of her toes on the step-ladder to reach a box located on the top shelf.

"M-Mmn," Minako replied with slight strain and distraction in her melodic voice. Even in this outstretched position, she was just barely able to get the tips of her middle fingers on the edges of the desired container that held the items she was looking for.

"Careful," Yuuichirou said with concern as he took a small step closer, his arms reflexively rising ever so slightly as if that would help to steady the gorgeous blonde through her arduous task.

"Alllmooost…," Minako verbalized aloud absently as her elegant eyebrows furrowed slightly, focused on continuing to inch the box closer to the edge of the shelf so she could get a better grip on it. She could feel her persistence beginning to pay off as the container inched its way little by little towards her and she was now able to get her other fingertips around the corners of the box.

"Got it!," Minako said triumphantly as she began pulling the large box halfway off the shelf when suddenly, "Aah!," she let out a startled cry and her eyes shut tightly. Her hand immediately went to her head in response to a sharp pain that shot through her skull. It disappeared quickly and was replaced with a dull ache as the gorgeous blonde felt herself beginning to lose her balance.

"Look out!," she heard Yuuichirou cry before she braced herself for her fall.

 ** _CRASH! THUMP! CLASH!_**

* * *

Rei slammed on the brakes as a cold shiver ran down her spine, "…Mina," the whispered name flew from Rei's alluring lips full of anxiety before she realized she had said it.

The beautiful archer felt something just now. It was like an ominous shift in the gorgeous blonde's familiar aura that caused it to waver momentarily and left a noticeable impact in the atmosphere near the shrine. Somehow she knew, she just _knew_ , something wasn't right.

She pushed the gas pedal hard as she sped up the hill towards the house.

* * *

Once the commotion ceased, Minako coughed and tried to catch her breath as the dust that was kicked up from the ruckus began to settle. She sensed something warm beneath her and it began to spasm with the sounds of deep coughing come from above her head.

"Y-You alright, Aino-san?," Minako heard Yuuichirou's voice cough out from above her head.

"M-Mmn, I think so," Minako replied a bit hoarsely. She managed to make her way up to her hands and knees, still a little dazed by what just happened, before carefully opening her dazed, sapphire eyes to get her bearings. She brought a hand up to brush her gorgeous, blonde hair out of her face and saw that the box she had been trying to collect was on the ground nearby, laying on its side, with some of the contents spilling out onto the floor. The step-ladder she had been using was kicked to the opposite end of the shop and laying haphazardly on the ground, still in its open position.

"That's good," she heard Yuuichirou sigh in relief, but the sound was oddly coming from beneath her rather than above her head this time. Confused by why the apprentice's voice would suddenly be coming from a different direction, she turned her attention down towards the sound of his voice and her cobalt eyes widened.

"Oh my gods! I'm _so_ sorry!," the gorgeous blonde exclaimed, realizing she had been laying right on top of the young man and was currently straddling him in a fairly provocative position. She shot up to a sitting position and was about to jump off of him when, "Ow!," the sudden motion caused the lingering aching in her head to flare slightly and her eyes shut tightly in reaction. She yelped in startled pain and reached up instinctively to massage her temple with one hand while the other hand reached down to the floor to steady herself.

"Easy, easy," Yuuichirou said soothingly, though he groaned slightly as he propped himself up on his elbows, feeling the soreness in his back. He could already tell he was going to be feeling the effects from his earlier fall and this one for days to come, "What's wrong? You sure you're ok?," he asked with concern.

"M-Mmn," Minako nodded carefully, the aching sensation beginning to fade a bit, "It's nothing, I just got this crazy headache while I was getting that box. Probably from straining too hard to get it or something," she groaned, "Otherwise, I'm ok." She opened her azure eyes slowly and blinked a couple times to get her bearings before she brought her attention to the apprentice below her, "Thanks for catching me, by the way," she said sincerely, realizing that the young apprentice had protected her from injury.

"No problem. Here, try this," the apprentice suggested as he reached up and rested his hand on top of Minako's head, pressing his thumb firmly in the middle of Minako's forehead, "My fiancé's anemic and gets headaches all the time if she doesn't take her iron supplements. Usually if you put pressure on your forehead like this, it helps."

"Mmmm," Minako moaned as she closed her eyes and leaned into Yuuichirou's thumb, already feeling the dull ache in her head dissipating from the force of the counter-pressure, "That feels _really_ good." She was so grateful for the relief that she didn't hear the sound of the giftshop door opening right then.

* * *

"Mina…what…the…," the sound of a soft, smooth voice laced with shock caused Minako's sapphire eyes to shoot open, where they were met with a breathtakingly beautiful, raven-haired woman standing at the door of the shop, staring back at her with intense violet eyes that were filled with a mix of confusion, disbelief, and…hurt.

"Rei-chan?," Minako responded with some confusion, taken by surprise by Rei's sudden appearance and the concerning look in those captivating lavenders before the weight of her position in relation to Yuuichirou came crashing down on her consciousness.

"R-Rei-chan!" she exclaimed loudly. She could feel her face beginning to flush from mortification as she immediately scrambled to her feet. Once she was standing, she bent down and lent Yuuichirou a hand in getting up, who groaned loudly during the process, "This is Kumada Yuuichirou, your grandpa's apprentice," she continued hurriedly. Once the young man was on his feet, she let him go to allow him to dust himself off with his hands while she directed her attention fully onto the beautiful archer, "I was just getting a box off the top shelf and I lost my balance," she said quickly in a flustered manner, "And Yuuicirou was here and he caught me as I was falling, and…" She groaned loudly in annoyance as she closed her eyes tightly in frustration, bringing her left arm up to wrap around her midsection while her right hand came up in a subtle face-palm, "Gods, this all sound trite as _fuck_ but I _swear_ this is _not_ what it looks like."

"G-Good morning, Hino-san," Yuuichirou greeted hesitantly yet politely as he bowed respectfully towards Rei who seemed to be frozen in place with her attention still on the mortified blonde, "Aino-san told me that you were Sensei's granddaughter. It's an honor to meet you and I look forward to learning as much as I can-"

"Is the shrine ready for opening," Rei cut in bluntly and firmly. Her question came out more as a statement due to her tone. This took Minako by surprise and it broke her from her original humiliation and brought her attention immediately towards the beautiful archer, whose attention was now on the apprentice.

To Yuuichirou, or anyone else who didn't know Rei, it would have appeared as though the beautiful raven was apathetic to, or even irritated by, the young apprentice and was simply ignoring his introduction and comments to get to her own agenda.

But to Minako and anyone else who _did_ know the archer, Rei's words contained a sharp, cold edge to them that demanded attention and emphasized her authority. Yes, Minako knew Rei was disgusted by men. And, yes, the Flame Sniper had a reputation for being standoffish and unapproachable. But even then, Minako had _never_ heard such…aggression…in the beautiful raven-haired woman's smooth tone ever before. Though her flawless, pale countenance appeared stoic, Minako noted the way those beautiful lavenders were narrowed ever so slightly and beginning to darken as the archer regarded the young apprentice before her analytically.

"U-Um…N-Not quite yet," Yuuichirou replied hesitantly as he shrunk slightly from the miko's sudden statement.

Rei let out an audible, disapproving sigh that carried a tint of annoyance as her elegant lips pursed ever so slightly. She brought her attention towards the floor where the fallen box of strewn omamoris had landed.

"These on the floor will need to be re-blessed within the shrine," Rei stated coldly, a commanding edge now bleeding into her tone with a hint of annoyance. Her cutting gaze returned to the young man, "You _do_ know how to do at least _that_ , don't you?"

"M-Mmn," Yuuichirou responded hesitantly with a meek nod. His gaze quickly drifting towards the floor submissively, unable to hold those intimidating amethysts that felt as though they were burning holes right through him.

"Then go," Rei responded evenly as she pushed the door open wider and stepped to the side so that there was a wide birth to allow the young man a pathway out of the shop. She crossed her arms as her critical gaze followed him while he quickly went to the fallen box, swiftly gathered up the items, and exited the facility.

* * *

Once Yuuichirou had left, Rei unfolded her arms and brought her left hand up to the door handle and turned to head out of the shop when-

"Baby," a soft, wavering, melodic voice with an entreating tone cut through the thick, heavy air. The archer only paused in her movements.

Silence filled the space between the two women as Minako found herself at an impasse, not knowing what to say but also desperately not wanting Rei to leave. Her pleading cobalts were fixed on the beautiful miko's back, willing her to turn around, to look at her, to say something, to allow her to explain the situation and alleviate Rei's sudden frigid disposition and her own guilt.

The gorgeous blonde knew she hadn't done anything wrong by any measure. On the contrary, she had no qualms about what transpired in the moments before the beautiful miko entered the shop. No, this daunting guilt that manifested within her chest, weighing heavily there, and pushing her heart to the verge of breaking…was from the thought of possibly hurting the beautiful raven before her, even if indirectly.

But…to some degree…the make-up artist… _didn't_ want Rei to turn around. Didn't want to potentially confront those painfully, beautiful amethysts and whatever emotions that could be swirling within them. What if the archer turned around and looked at Minako in the way she had regarded Yuuichirou just now? It would surely shatter Minako and be the end of her as she knew it.

That in itself…this raw awareness of how much...power...this woman had over her…

…paralyzed her with dread.

"I need to change and prepare the shrine for the day," a soft, smooth voice disrupted the silence and brought Minako back from her internal conflict. It was audible, but quiet. So quiet it was difficult for the gorgeous blonde to make out any form of emotion at all from it. The fact that Rei had said it without turning around also didn't aid the smaller woman in deciphering the beautiful miko's emotional state and only served to worry her more.

"Reiko," Minako whispered. She could feel bits of her heart starting to crumble away, "I-"

"The shop tends to get busy around this time of year. Exams are coming up," Rei continued in the same quiet tone, interrupting Minako's words. She turned her head slightly, just enough to speak over her left shoulder but not enough for the gorgeous blonde to see her face, "And it seems we already have some visitors."

"Good morning!," the sound of a cheerful, young voice calling from not too far away caused Minako to turn around towards the front of the store, where she saw a couple of young school girls in middle-school uniforms trotting happily towards the giftshop. A sizeable group of students in various school uniforms were congregating around the chōzuya, their boisterous chatter echoing in the courtyard as they took turns performing the temizu before also making their way towards the giftshop, "Are you guys open yet?," the young girl who called out earlier asked eagerly as she and her classmate approached the stall.

"U-Umm…Mmn," Minako nodded, slowly comprehending the young girl's question, "J-Just…give me a quick second, ok? I need to-"

 ** _…_** ** _cha-chunk…_**

The sound of a door closing softly behind her made Minako quickly turn around, only to find the back door shut and the beautiful miko gone. Her heart sank as she absently reached up to worry her necklace with her fingers. She took a deep, wavering breath to steady herself before she turned around, trying her very best to put on a friendly face for the young customers, making a mental note to talk to Rei as soon as she possibly could.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Trouble is brewing in paradise. What will they do?

I didn't realize how big this chapter was. Most of my chapters so far have been about 6000 - 7000 words on average while this one is just a bit over 10000. Well, after such a long hiatus I guess go big or go home, eh?

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 03/2017)


	36. Chapter 36

**Author Note:** It was hard to put into words how exactly I wanted to portray this chapter. Whenever I pictured these scenes in my mind, it was mostly driven by feelings and sensations that I imagined the characters having rather than by words. The perfectionist in me may tinker with it a bit more later, but I just wanted to get it out now so as not to possibly hold up future chapters.

On another note, when I first started publishing this story through my old account, I was really proud and humbled by the fact that it had received over 10,000 views by the end of Chapter 30. Now, a new account and 2 years later, I've finally broken the 10,000 views mark again after posting Chapter 35. ^_^ Thanks, everyone, for reading!

 _Pop-Quiz: 1 Question_

 _1 -_ What's the rating of this story?

 **ryobu kuji** = [Japanese] Shinto version of the "nine symbols"

Kuji-in. (2017, March 13). In _Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia_. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from . ?title=Kuji-in &oldid=770162277

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

King, J., Slade, I., (2008). _You Found Me_ [Recorded by The Fray]. On The Fray [CD], Seoul, South Korea: Epic Records _._

* * *

 **Chapter 36:**

It was well past 7:30pm by the time Minako finished receipts from the day's sales and was in the process of closing up the small gift shop. The shrine had seen a steady stream of visitors throughout the day and she was kept occupied for most of the time by various middle-school and high-school students anxiously purchasing items that would give them any sort of assistance in performing at their best for upcoming exams. She only had small intervals of time for quick snacks or bathroom breaks. Occasionally, she would catch brief glimpses of Yuuichirou in the courtyard tending to visitors. More sparingly, she would see Rei out and about, but it wasn't very long before she would disappear back into the shrine or the fire room to perform some ritual or another.

"Need any help?," Yuuichirou asked as he approached while Minako was exited the gift shop.

"No, I'm good. Thanks," Minako replied as she locked the door behind her and turned to face the young man who was carrying a khaki rucksack and wearing jeans and a dark-blue blazer over a white, button-up shirt with the buttons undone, revealing the black shirt he had underneath, "Heading out?," she asked, taking into account his change of clothes.

"Mmn," the apprentice nodded, "Hino-san said I could go once I finished putting everything away in the shrine." A half-smile appeared on his lips as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder, "She was a pretty tough sensei," he said with a soft chuckle, "But…wow...she _really_ knows her stuff! She made me realize just how much I still have to learn before I'm ready to take over a shrine on my own."

"Do you…know where she is now?," Minako asked hesitantly.

"Last I saw her, she just finished dinner and was heading to the fire room," the young apprentice replied as he turned and gestured towards that direction.

"I see," the gorgeous blonde responded with a soft nod, her melodic tone carrying a touch of apprehension.

"Well," Yuuichirou said as he turned his attention back towards the make-up artist and bowed politely, "It was nice meeting you. Have a good night and I hope we see each other again."

"M-Mmn, likewise," Minako replied as she bowed politely in return and gave him a half-smile, trying to be as friendly as possible given her solemn mood, before he turned and headed towards his car which was parked next to the house.

Minako's anxious cobalts were trained on the shōji doors of the fire room that flickered and danced with orange-colored light from the fire within. She could almost make out the silhouette of a certain, raven-haired miko along its edges against the translucent material. Reaching up to fiddle with the locket, she took hesitant steps across the courtyard towards the fire room.

Once she was halfway there, an uneasiness began creeping into her chest and she slowed until she came to a stop. _Maybe I should give her some space,_ she thought to herself. Though she wanted to see the beautiful miko, see if she was ok…if _they_ were ok…perhaps it was best to allow Rei some time alone. She herself felt a bit tired from the day, she couldn't imagine what Rei must be feeling given all the interactions she had to deal with, let alone the intense interaction the two of them had at the beginning of it all, _I'll…go see her after I freshen up._

And, with that, she turned and headed instead towards the house to shower, change, and have dinner, subconsciously hoping the delay would give her some time as well to emotionally prepare for whatever interaction, good or bad, that would unfold with the devastatingly beautiful archer who she cared so much for.

* * *

 ** _SNAP!...snap! pop!..._**

The distinct crackling of wood filled the space of the fire room as Rei knelt seiza-style in front of Seika. She had come here after having dinner and freshening up from the day, wearing a set of dark-green, satin pajamas. Her brow furrowed in focused concentration as her brooding violet orbs stared down at her hands which were folded on her lap.

Since walking in on Minako and Yuuichirou earlier that day, she had plunged herself into work and managed to keep busy enough to distract herself from having to deal with anything related to that incident, including avoiding interacting with Minako at all and only interact with the young apprentice when necessary.

Her logical mind knew she had no right to feel resentment or anger towards the young apprentice. He was just an innocent bystander. He actually seemed like a genuinely good person from what she could tell. Just a little naïve and a lot of sincere. She felt sorry for him if she were being honest, given it still took nearly everything in her to stave off that initial aggressiveness she felt towards him and not let it slip too much into her encounters with him.

But, in the end, here she was. Alone to face her thoughts and emotions without any distractions.

"Seika," Rei whispered quietly, her voice carrying such heaviness. The word caused the earthly element to flare slightly in response, as if acknowledging the name, "I-"

 _'Mmmm, that feels_ _really_ _good.'_

The archer shut her eyes tightly. Her elegant hands balled into fists in her lap as she shook her head, chasing away Minako's haunting melodic words and the image of Minako straddled over Yuuichirou on the floor of the gift shop while saying them. She took meditative breaths to calm herself, making conscious efforts to release the tension in her being, allowing her hands and countenance to return to their relaxed state, before she was able to open her distraught lavenders again. After a pause, Rei opened her mouth to speak again, only to close it and allow the silence to continue.

She didn't know where to begin. On some level, she wasn't even sure if she… _wanted_ to begin verbalizing her internal process with her long-time and wise, fiery companion. She wasn't sure if she was ready to say the words aloud…to hear them as she spoke…making them…tangible…real.

Stunned. Stunned was the first thing she felt when she opened the door of the gift shop to find the make-up artist in the position she was in. The shock of it caused her abilities to waver so much so that it was difficult for her to really focus and get a read on the situation properly at that moment.

Then there was the jealousy. Such scorching jealousy she had never known before that flared up from the depths of her being and directed itself towards the young man before her who Minako was helping to his feet. The very idea of him… _him_ …pinned beneath _her_ gorgeous blonde, his hand on _her_ blonde goddess, causing _her_ princess to moan in the way she did…it nearly drove Rei to madness!

And that was when everything within Rei came to a screeching hault.

As Minako rambled on, struggling in her attempt to clearly explain the situation, the raven-haired woman came to a sobering epiphany:

Aino Minako…wasn't…'hers'.

That night when Rei asked Minako to be her girlfriend and rescinded, she promised instead to be with the gorgeous blonde for as long as _she_ wanted. And Rei was ok with that. The act itself was driven moreso by selfishness really, given it would prevent Minako from leaving and allow her to be with Minako and have her in her life. It was also to alleviate the smaller woman's intense trepidations of being abandoned and allow her the freedom to not have to commit given her anxieties on that as well.

Which is exactly where the gorgeous blonde was in relation to Rei at this moment:

Uncommitted.

Rei had no claim over this blonde woman with whom she had fallen so in love with. Nor did she even have the _right_ to _make_ such a claim on her given their situation.

Minako wasn't hers…all by her own consent.

This astronomical realization rapidly vanquished the raging jealousy within her...only to replace it with a humbling heaviness. She was devastated by this realization and had no choice _but_ to accept the facts of her reality. The smaller woman was free to do _whatever_ she pleased with _whomever_ she pleased.

Rei knew by that point that nothing had happened between the two people standing before her, could see it in their auras as her abilities began coming back to her once she had calmed significantly down from her fury. There was really nothing at all between Minako and Yuuichirou.

But…the facts still remained just so.

Minako…the woman she loved…wasn't hers.

The thought never really crossed Rei's mind. Given her abilities and who Minako was, she trusted Minako with every fiber of her being right down to the depths of her heart. She knew their relationship wasn't perfect. Whose was? But she knew it wasn't anything to lose sleep over when it came to determining whether being with the smaller woman was worth it. They had already made so much positive progress together.

Now, for the first time, a microscopic chink in her proverbial armor had begun to take shape.

Tears began to form in the beautiful woman's distraught lavenders. Not only could she begin to feel her steadfast trust in Minako wavering ever so slightly, it started to make her question…her abilities. This gift or this curse was something she never knew how to live without, was trained even by her beloved grandfather to use it and, to an extent, even _depend_ on it to survive given the cards that life had dealt her.

Try as she might, she couldn't even read whether Minako felt even remotely the same way back at all. Hell, from what she could see, Minako didn't even want to allow _herself_ to know how she felt about Rei. All she knew for sure from that warm, orange-gold color, confirmed by the smaller woman's words that night she made her promise was that Minako _did_ want to be with Rei.

But…why? And for what? To what extent? Who _was_ she even to Minako? A friend? Just someone she's dating? Possibly something more?

 _…_ _or perhaps just an idiot and a good fuck to keep her company until the next person comes along…_

A quiet groan, nearly a whimper, came from the back of the beautiful miko's throat as she shook her head hard to chase away the path her thoughts had begun to form. Kami-sama! Where the _fuck_ did that even come from!? Minako wasn't like that! She was kind, generous, warm, caring…

And the direction Re's mind was taking was starting to become darker by the second. As if it were beginning to unwravel _everything_ she ever believed to be true and in what she knew about her relationship with Minako. She needed a distraction, an interruption, _anything_ to keep her mind from drowning in an abyss of sorrow and tinting every thought it touched towards self-loathing and doubt.

This was why she kept herself so busy all day, though it now seemed to be backfiring at this very moment given how drained she felt and her inability to keep herself composed and in check. It seemed she was now at the mercy of her traitorous thoughts and emotions as they festered within her, conjuring up infinitely more thoughts and emotions as they tumbled inside of her.

 ** _WHOOSH!_**

Rei jumped slightly at the sound of the roaring fire before her abruptly flaring. Her head shot up as her rare amethysts darted towards the holy flame, which had now doubled to nearly twice it size. It danced erratically, as if violently trying to escape its cement containment, before returning to its original state.

 ** _…pop! pop!...snap!_**

Rei couldn't help the small smile that began pulling on the corner of her alluring lips as she relaxed back onto her heels, "Thanks for snapping me out of that, Seika," she said gratefully, her voice slightly hoarse from not having been used in a while. She brought a hand up to wipe away the wetness that had formed in her clear violets, "I really needed that."

The flame flickered in reply before leaning slightly forward, its delicate edges reaching out towards the miko sitting before it. Rei chuckled as she leaned forward a bit and reached her hand out to allow a part of the fire to lick the edges of her pale fingers, drying the stain of tears left on them. She enjoyed the feeling of its warmth against her skin, "You're wonderful, you know that?," she said softly with endearment.

The earthly element danced playfully, causing Rei to smirk and roll her eyes in response before she dropped her hand and returned to her seat while the flame also returned to its natural state. Rei watched as it dimmed slightly and swayed questioningly. She sighed heavily in response, "If I'm being totally honest? No…no, I'm not ok. But I…I don't really want to talk about it."

The fire swayed softly for a moment before Rei nodded in response, "Mmn, I think that's a good idea. Just for a little bit to clear my head. While I do that, can you watch over me and help keep me focused?"

The blaze flared in response to the miko's request. Rei adjusted slightly and settled into her seiza position before she brought her hands up before her, "Rin. Pyou. Tou, Sha. Kai. Chin. Retsu. Zai. Zen." As she spoke, she formed her hands into the appropriate seals for each word, reciting the ryobu kuji the way her grandfather taught her so long ago as a means to help her manage her young, volatile temper and calm her mind.

Once she finished, she brought her hands together in prayer and allowed her eyes to close so she could begin meditating and cleansing herself from her emotional turbulence. The holy fire gently grew stronger, warming the space as if to comfort the raven-haired miko and ward off the chill from her heartache.

* * *

 ** _\- Lost and insecure, you found me. You found me. Lying on the floor, surrounded. Surrounded. Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? -_**

After having dinner, showering, and changing into a white, silk nightgown, Minako was just finishing up arranging Rei's room for bed, moving the table and zabutons neatly to the side, while listening to music from her online radio station streaming from her phone.

She didn't pay much attention to it though as she took her time performing her tasks. Her delicate hands brushed the fabric on the surface of the futons carefully, smoothing the material out meticulously as she laid the twin futons side-by-side. It wasn't that she wanted them to be perfectly tidy, she actually could care less about the state of her bedding before slumber given she knew she would merely make a mess of it come morning. No, the gorgeous blonde was purely procrastinating at this point.

Once she had sufficiently made the room look pristine, she knew the time had come for her to face the inevitable. She reached for her phone and flipped it open: 8:57pm.

 _It getting late,_ Minako thought to herself pensively, _I should go see if she's ok._

The gorgeous blonde flipped the phone closed and placing it on the floor. As it continued to stream music, she got to her feet and nervously made her way towards the fire room.

* * *

 ** _…_** ** _ssssshuck…_**

Minako made sure to softly close the sliding shoji door once she had entered the fire room and quietly made her way closer to a certain raven-haired woman who was currently kneeling before the fire, deep in meditation. She sat seiza-style on one of the avaiable zabutons just a couple feet away from the miko's right. Bringing her hands up in prayer, she nodded towards the flames in the manner Rei had shown her when she was given the tour of the shrine. The fire swayed slightly, as if acknowledging the young woman who had recently joined them.

Once the make-up artist had respectfully greeted the holy flames, she lowered her hands to rest in her lap and turned to her left to look at the raven-haired woman with anxious sapphires. She didn't wanting to disrupt the miko while in such deep concentration, wanting to give her as much time as she needed for herself. In any case, Minako was certain that Rei probably sensed her presence already so there was really no need to disturb her.

Instead, she took the opportunity to study the taller woman in the light of the roaring blaze. Given she had barely seen her at all that day, sitting in her presence now she took her time in savoring the beautiful raven's beauty, realizing just how much she missed her. The only thing she found herself disappointed with was the fact that she couldn't lose herself in those intense lavenders that were so distinctly Rei.

She pursed her alluring lips and brought a hand up to palm the locket around her neck. The last time she saw those captivating eyes, they were full of…anguish…shock…anger…possibly even betrayal?

The very thought of being the cause of it made her heart ache unbearably. Even if she was truly blameless in regards to the events that led up to the moment Rei entered the shop, right now it didn't matter. What mattered most to her at this moment was making sure the devastatingly beautiful woman before her, who she had come to cherish so much, was ok.

It was a bit selfish, really. No matter how much she knew that whatever this was between them was still _so_ new and with _so_ many pitfalls, deep within her soul she couldn't bear the thought of Rei not being with her.

To some extent, that was one of the reasons she continued to be so hesitant in their relationship with each other. Having been in so many relationships before, she was more than aware of all the ways this could possibly end, had already mapped out in her mind every single reason she _shouldn't_ be with this woman, predicting that it would most likely end anyway given how much it was too good to be true, had on many occasions even been close to ending it herself given this rationale.

But…she just…couldn't.

And after today, after getting just a taste of what it might be like not having Rei in her life, she was sure that _that_ was _not_ something she wanted or was even _prepared_ for.

With all that time she had away from Rei to ruminate on it by herself, she started to toy with the idea that possibly…maybe… _just_ maybe… her feelings for the beautiful archer were stronger than she cared to admit.

The hand she had on her locket tightened just a bit more as that same petrifying, hesitant feeling she felt while staring at Rei's back before she left the gift shop returned. She couldn't shake it. Where was it coming from? Why was it there?

The hand she had wrapped around her locket shakily came up to brush through her golden locks anxiously. As she carefully combed through to the ends of her mane, a strand of hair broke off and thredded itself between her elegant fingers. She absently flicked it away so that it fell by her side as she took a deep breath in through her nose and let it out through her mouth subtly, trying to ease the uneasiness that was forming within her.

Unbenownst to her, the puff of air she released caused the lone strand of hair to tumble away and become airborne. It hovered lightly for just a moment, before it gently danced its way towards the fire…where it caught and sizzled into nothingness.

And that was when she noticed the beautiful miko's form stiffen as she sat up and took a sharp intake of breath through her nose.

* * *

 _Rei was standing in a dark, familiar, void of space._

What the… _, Rei consciousness thought to herself in confusion, finding it a bit strange that Seika would pull her into a vision so urgently at this very moment,_ What am I doing here?

 _She knew where she was, having seen this vision just yesterday. But there was something else that caught Rei's attention. The vision felt…different._

 _In most, if not all, cases, her visions were more dream-like with a bit of haziness to it. Her consciousness would merely inhabit her own or someone elses' body as she watched or experienced what was happening before her._

 _But, this time, the vision felt a bit more…solid…clearer…definitive in a way. As if she were actually experiencing it in real-life. She noticed the familiar space she was standing in was more defined as some sort of large room. Though there was still nothing else to help her distinguish where she was, the familiarity of it was still very apparent._

 _A silky sensation between her fingers brought her attention back to events of the vision and she found herself again holding the shadowy woman whose orange-gold glow was still so faint. Rei noticed this time, as she held her close, that the shadowy woman was only a couple inches shorter than herself._

 _"…Are you ok?," she heard herself verbalize softly and full of worry. Her_ _eyes widen as that same heavy, painful sensation began seeping into her as it did when she experienced the vision before._

 _This time, she was able to read it a bit better. It exuded so much sadness with a hint of…guilt? She also noted there was something else within the faint orange-gold colors. A sort of…conflict…within it. As if it were warring with itself._

 _The smaller woman within her arms lifted her head and Rei could again sense the despair in her shadowy countenance as she allowed the woman to pull her into a gentle, chaste kiss._

 _When the shadowy woman ended the kiss and Rei slowly opened her worried amethysts, the woman pulled away from Rei's embrace and took a step back, just out of reach. The shadowy presence turned her head slightly, averting her gaze to the floor._

 _"…I'm sorry," were again the only words Rei could hear. Though they came out as barely a whisper, they seemed to echo throughout the silence._

 _It felt like time had stopped. She suddently felt cold…so very cold…almost to the point of shivering. The silence in the space seemed as if to increase in volume._

Wha…What's happening?, _Rei's consciousness thought worriedly as an ominous, foreboding feeling began taking over._

 _That was when she began struggling to breathe, as if the air from the large room had been sucked right out. The silence now rang so painfully in her ears it was disorienting._

No…stop! STOP! _, Rei's consciousness yelled in panic. She felt trapped, unable to combat the overwhelming sensations that were happening to her as a black emptiness that seemed to be spreading from within her started to bleed into her vision, eating away at the images before her eyes as if she were slowly going blind._

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Minako jumped back away from Rei and scrambling to her feet, startled by the miko's sudden, bloodcurdling scream.

Once the initial shock of it wore off, her terrified azure eyes took in the image of Rei's form, still sitting in the same position in front of the flames, but now with a pained look on her countenance as she continued to scream as though her life were in danger.

Without thinking, mostly acting on instinct, she swiftly went to the miko, grabbing her and pulling her out of her meditative position, half-cradling her in her lap.

"REI-CHAN!," Minako yelled as the raven-haired woman continued to scream. She held the taller woman tightly as she brought her form as close to her own as she possibly could. She brought one of her hands up to tuck the miko's head underneath her own into the crook of her neck protectively, "REI-CHAN! IT'S ME! WAKE UP!"

The beautiful archer's screaming gradually faded until all that was left was the sound of labored breathing from both of them and the sizzling sounds of the flames.

"Shhhh," Minkao cooed softly, "You're safe, Reiko. You're safe."

"…Don't go," the gorgeous blonde felt the whispered words against the skin of her neck, "Stay with me. Please." Her smooth tone came out almost in a whimper as she spoke. Minako held the taller woman tighter as she began gently stroking Rei's silky, raven-colored tresses.

"I'm right here, baby," Minako replied comfortingly.

"…Mina?," the beautiful miko's tone had changed. It was a touch more audible now and sounded as if she were speaking just after waking up from slumber.

"It's me, Reiko," Minako responded as she kissed the top of Rei's head, "It's ok, I've got you."

"…Yes. Yes, you do," the beautiful miko sighed. Though the words were soft, Minako could almost detect a bit of…defeat…in her smooth voice. She felt the archer begin to stir and she reluctantly released her hold on the taller woman to allow her to move.

Rei gently pulled away from the gorgeous blonde so that she came to sit seiza-style in front of her. Though it was in fact Minako's warm, intensely protective, orange-gold aura that shot through the darkness of the vision and shattered Rei out of it, she just needed to get her bearings without having it muddled by outside influences.

The raven-haired beauty brought her entreating amethyst eyes up to meet anxiously concerned sapphires, "But," she began slowly, her smooth tone eerily calm though it carried hints of both helplessness and hopefulness, "Do I have you?"

* * *

Given her tumultuous emotional state before the vision and the upsetting vision itself, Rei's very foundation had been splintered. Topped with her inability to come back to herself on her own, she felt…powerless…vulnerable.

She could still feel it. Remnants of that black emptiness that threatened to consume her within her vision. It felt as though they had found themselves a home in the dark corners of her heart, waiting in the shadows for an opportunity to take over completely. She wanted, no, _desperately needed_ to feel some sense of security, some form of safety and banish them from her being. She needed to fill the emptiness with something real, something tangible and secure, something she could believe in at this very moment when there was _so much_ she was already beginning to question and doubt.

And, for a small moment, she felt that in the form of orange-gold rays while the gorgeous blonde held her so protectively. She had truly become her light, her Evening Star, guiding her away from darkness to safety on so many occasions.

Yes, Rei was agreeing with Minako when the gorgeous blonde said that she had her. Minako had her all the way down to her soul.

And now…it was time for Rei to find answers to her earlier questions. Ones that could either save her sanity or dash her to pieces from the inside out.

* * *

"What?," Minako asked in confusion, concern underlying her tone, unsure exactly as to what the beautiful miko meant by the question that seemed to come out of nowhere. She started to think that perhaps breaking Rei's focus from her meditation may have negatively impacted the beautiful raven's mental state, "What do you mean? I…I don't understand."

"Mina," Rei continued in the same entreating tone, "What am I to you?"

Rei didn't need to read the shock that vibrated through Minako's orange-gold glow as the make-up artists' countenance plainly showed that she was taken aback by Rei's words.

"…Reiko," the stunned, gorgeous blonde's melodic tone came out as a mix of a gasp and a whisper. She could feel a heavy uneasiness beginning to develop in her chest as her cobalt gaze went to the ground, unable to hold those intense violets that silently pleaded for a response.

She knew why Rei was asking the question, had been contemplating that exact question all day and it led her to realize that what she felt for the taller woman was perhaps more than what she allowed herself to believe. She knew that the beautiful miko deserved an answer as well given the events from earlier that day.

But…to be asked so pointedly…so directly…it took her off guard and caused her to revert back to her habitual response to such topics: she wanted to run.

"I…I have to-mmm," As Minako began to speak, to make up some excuse to slip away, her alluring lips were captured in a kiss that was both inviting and imploring. She felt herself melting into it, the uneasiness fading a bit as she allowed her eyes to fall closed as it began to deepen.

Rei gently ended the kiss, much to the Minako's dismay, leaving the smaller woman panted slightly. The miko brought her forehead to rest on Minako's, sensing the apprehension that was still apparent in her warm, orange-gold aura. "Mina, please," she whispered softly as if praying to the gorgeous blonde before her, "Tell me. What am I to you?"

"Rei-chan," Minako's melodic tone cracked as she felt the uneasiness beginning to creep back into her chest stronger than before, "I…I don't know what you want from-mmm."

Her words were silenced again by alluring lips, this time with a touch more urgency, pulling Minako's attention back again into its inescapable influence. A delicate and wavering gasp breached the barrier of Minako's lips as Rei gently captured the gorgeous blonde's bottom lip between her teeth, pulling on it softly, allowing it to slowly slip back to its owner in a provocatively seductive way.

"Then show me," she heard Rei's smooth voice whisper quietly. Minako's breath hitched. Her sapphire eyes fluttered opened, revealing astounded and concerned cobalts.

* * *

Rei could see the hesitation and worry in Minako's aura as she began to press the gorgeous blonde on this matter, could see the orange-gold aura beginning to retreat and become dimmer from it. She already knew from their short time together that Minako was the _last_ person who would be able to identify her own emotions, let alone face them or even express them so blatantly, preferring instead to avoid them or even flee altogether.

But Rei needed to know, needed a definitive answer as to where she stood with the make-up artist given her tempestuous mental and emotional ponderings before Minako entered the fire room.

Rei had realized fairly early on in their relationship that Minako used the physical realm as a means of expressing herself in her own way when words or even her emotional limitations brought her to a standstill. In fact, no other means of communication was as honest and revealing of Minako's true emotional state.

So here she was… offering her very self up to the woman before her, hoping beyond hope, taking a leap of faith, wanting desperately to believe in her…in them…and everything she thought she knew to be true.

* * *

"Wh…What?," Minako panted softly. Though she was still a bit dazed from the sensual kisses that took her breath away, the shock of Rei's statement required her to look at the devastatingly, beautiful woman. She needed to see, needed to confirm with her full attention what Rei was saying and that it wasn't some sort of trick of the mind. She also needed to see with her own eyes if _Rei herself_ knew what exactly she was asking.

"Show me," Rei repeated softly, responding to Minako's questioning and stunned gaze. Though her words were quiet, Minako could hear the conviction in them, could see in those mesmerizingly intense amethysts that Rei _did_ in fact know what she was saying.

"Please, Mina," she continued as she moved slowly closer to the now cautious blonde. She brought her lips up to the shell of Minako's ear, brushed her cheek lightly against hers in the process. She heard the smaller woman gasp quietly, felt her shutter slightly from the contact, "I need to know what I am to you. And if you're unable to tell me with words," the miko parted her alluring lips and gently nipped the skin of the blonde woman's neck, just below her ear, causing a desperate moan to flow melodically out of the smaller woman, "Then show me...please."

She pulled away from the gorgeous blonde to look at her. Her orange-gold colors were wavering so much that it was difficult for Rei to make out anything definitive in them. It also didn't help that her control over he abilities was already weakened by her exertion from the day and the distressing vision she just experienced.

* * *

Azure eyes regarded Rei silently for a moment before turning away as Minako carefully made her way to her feet. The beautiful miko's heart sank and she sat back subtly in defeat in her seiza-style position, preparing herself for the love of her life to walk away. Her distraught lavender gaze fell to the ground, unable to watch and waiting for the sounds of the gorgeous blonde's footsteps to head towards the shōji doors and fade away forever.

But, after a moment, when she was only met with silence, curiosity got the better of her and she willed herself to bring her attention back up to find the smaller woman standing in front of her, her back facing Rei.

The gorgeous blonde looked over her shoulder and Rei could make out a slight tint of red in her creamy cheeks as the smaller woman smiled warmly, comfortingly at her. Her intense amethyst eyes widened slightly. A subtle gasp escaped her lips at the sight of Minako's aura, which had now morphed into that elegantly mesmerizing flame that she had only days before allowed to captivate her being when she had asked Minako to touch her. Rei would have argued this bewitching flame that was now Minako rivaled even _Seika's_ earthly beauty.

Now, at this very moment, there was nothing else in the world that mattered to Rei other than needing to submit herself completely to that intoxicating flame and allow it to baptize her in its overpoweringly warm intensity.

The gorgeous blonde half-turned to face Rei and extended her hand towards the kneeling archer.

"Oide…," she said softly in an inviting melodic tone, allowing the rest of her sentence to fade into the natural sounds of the fire room.

Rei's heart was now pounding loudly in her ears. Not out of fear but of…anticipation...of desperately wanting to feel that aura flow into her…and of whether this very moment was actually happening as she had seen so many times before. She was hesitant, but found herself slowly reaching out to take Minako's proffered hand.

When their hands touched, that soft glow flowed into Rei through their joined hands and filling her soul with a warmth that made her feel so safe, so…complete.

And before Minako silently led Rei out of the fire room, through the shrine, and to Rei's bedroom, Rei knew she had gotten her answer.

Aino Minako…was her soulmate.

* * *

 **Author Note :** Do not be fooled, this is not the end of the story. There is so much more to come.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 03/2017)


	37. Chapter 37

**Author Note:** As I've been coming up to this point in the story, I found myself procrastinating and trying to put it off for as long as possible. I really wanted this chapter to be perfect in how everything is described and how the chapters before build up to this moment. Writing it was a bit agonizing and felt like trying to run through water. But at least it's done and I can always come back to tweak it later as I continue along.

 _Chapter 36 Pop-Quiz Answer:_

 _1 -_ What's the rating of this story?  
 _ **Rated M(for some language and some lemon)**_

I don't own Sailor Moon or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Caillat, C. and Reeves, J. (2007). _Magic_ [Recorded by Colbie Caillat]. On Coco [CD], New York, New York: Universal Republic Records.

Davidson, D., Haywood, D., Kelley, C., and Scott, H. (2011). _Just a Kiss_ [Recorded by Lady Antebellum]. On Own the Night [CD], Nashville, Tennessee: Capitol Records Nashville.

Perri, C. (2011). _Arms_ [Recorded by Christina Perri]. On Lovestrong [CD], Los Angeles, California: Atlantic Records.

Argyle and Jackson, J. (2007). _What If I Stay_ [Recorded by Melanie C]. On This Time [CD], London, United Kingdom and New York, New York: Red Girl Records and Warner Music Group

* * *

 **Chapter 37:**

 ** _\- You've got magic inside your finger tips. It's leaking out all over my skin. Every time that I get close to you, you're making me weak with the way you look through those eyes. But all I see is your face. All I need is your touch. Wake me up with your lips. Come at me from up above. Yeah, oh I need you. -_**

The sounds of soft, romantic music continued to stream through Minako's phone which she had left on before going to see the beautiful archer in the fire room. It now served as a comfortable backdrop for the two women in the small space.

"Ah," a delicate gasp escaped from Rei's alluring lips as she felt warm, soft lips trail slowly down the column of her neck. Her skin came alive as they slowly traveled across her, leaking strands of orange-gold flames into her like droplets of paint. Her left hand was buried within golden tresses while her right arm was wrapped around Minako's warm, lithe form, holding her close.

She was no match against the gravity of that warm and wonderfully gentle flame and its addictive pull on her being as it captivated all of her attention. She couldn't fight it, didn't want to fight it, wanting to give herself over to its power and allow it to do with her what it will, mold her into whatever it wanted. And she would let it, given it would be so merciful as to allow her to fall further into it.

And even then, it wasn't enough. She needed more of it, _craved_ for it to be impossibly closer, yearning for it to devour her very essence.

Her mind quieted as she melted into every sensation. No thoughts were needed as she gave the gorgeous blonde full permission to follow her instincts and communicate in the language she was so fluent in. She let all of her internal walls down, letting more of that intoxicating glow to stream into her so she could listen fully and attentively to all that the smaller woman had to figuratively say.

She moaned quietly as she felt the gorgeous blonde move, felt those lips returned to hers again to kiss her deeply. Their tongues caressed each other slowly and sensually. Rei drank from the kiss gratefully, savoring the headiness of it all as she felt that gentle flame pour into her through her mouth, filling her with its warmth.

Since coming into Rei's room, every kiss the gorgeous blonde offered up, every reverent touch, every soft, endearing look seemed to carry a message, a statement, a silent promise, that Minako would keep her safe, would never harm her or allow harm to come to her. Rei could taste it on her lips, feel it run along the edges of her skin in the form of those intoxicatingly warm, inviting colors that were being imparted onto her. It seemed be all around her, soaking into her, everywhere all at once, surrounding her very being in her warmth. She could feel how much Minako cared for her through every touch and those distinct colors.

And Rei believed it. Believed in her. She no longer had any reasons to be anxious about Minako touching her, being so close to her. She resigned her very self willingly over to Minako's care, not just because she was thoroughly hypnotized by the flames of her aura, but because she knew now that the blonde woman resting on top of her, causing her body to move in ways beyond her control, drawing sounds from her she never knew existed within her, was the one she was meant to be with. Possibly even _destined_ to be with.

Those enticing lips slowly left hers, providing Rei the luxury to pant uninhibited from all the sensations that were being enacted on her form, taking in the familiar, intoxicating scent of strawberries that was so distinctly Minako.

"Mmmm," a desperate and needy moan, a touch higher in pitch than usual, tumbled out of her as she felt a new and tantalizing sensation. As her body arched into the feeling, she felt a hand glide to the small of her back, as if it had predicted her movements. It molded to her, catching her and holding her closer to the gorgeous blonde's warmth. Her left hand grasped Minako's silky hair tighter in response, her right arm fall away to desperately grasp the bedding beneath her tightly.

Hazy amethysts fluttered open to see what was causing that delicious sensation and were met by the image of the gorgeous blonde, eyes closed in focused concentration…

…with her mouth wrapped around Rei's sensitive nipple, sucking agonizingly slowly on it while teasing it with her tongue and teeth.

The sight only served to heighten the sensation as her darkened violets rolled back into her head, focusing her attention fully on it and every bit of contact on her sensitive skin that was being graced by those orange-gold flames exuding from Minako's being. She was quickly losing herself between these new sensations on her body and that aura that was coursing through her.

Both in tandem ignited and fueled an unspeakable urge within her that pooled deep within her core and was being fanned to unimaginable heights with every passing moment.

* * *

 ** _\- I've never opened up to anyone. So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms. We don't need to rush this. Let's just take it slow. Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight. Just a touch of the fire burning so bright. And I don't want to mess this thing up. I don't want to push too far. Just a shot in the dark that you just might be the one I've been waiting for my whole life. -_**

Hooded sapphires opened to gaze up towards the beautiful miko's face. Though there was nothing else but the light of the moon illuminating the space through the window and the thin shoji door screens, it was more than enough for Minako to take in the image of the taller women beneath her. Rei's eyes were shut tightly, mouth open as those soft and sultry gasps continued to escape from her.

A small smile came to her alluring lips as she heard those sounds and felt the beautiful raven shutter and move reflexively in response to her ministrations. Given her proficient knowledge of all things sensual, Minako could tell that the alluring miko was losing herself in what was being done to her, seeming to enjoy it even.

A part of her still couldn't believe this was actually happening, was still taken aback by their current provocative positioning. Once she had led the beautiful miko back to her bedroom, the taller woman had allowed her to silently, almost submissively, undress her, lay her down on the futon mattresses, and explore every inch of her skin.

She had fantasized countless times what this moment would be like, visualized in her mind all the things she wanted to do to Rei's pale and perfect form, imagined what it would feel like, taste like, what Rei would sound like if ever given the opportunity. Gods, it was so much more than anything she could have ever dreamed up. She savored each gifted second, fully appreciating Rei's strikingly flawless form, slowly deciphering its hidden secrets.

But she was also careful, cautiously deliberate, not wanting to push Rei too far or too fast. She took her time, experimenting, discovering, reading every minute reaction to every contact she made with the beautiful, raven-haired creature pinned beneath her, until she had gradually worked her up to a hyper-sensitive state of being.

She gently released her hold on Rei's now swollen nipple, pausing to allow her a moment to relax back down on the soft bedding, before she moved to gently take the other one in her mouth, causing the beautiful raven to sharply suck air in between her teeth, her body arching into her again from the sensation.

That pale skin, those full breasts, this toned form…Gods, how could such perfection even exist in this universe?

She was more than aware that she was perhaps the only person in the world ever to witness this mesmerizing being in the flesh. She found herself deeply humbled by it and how vulnerable Rei was allowing herself to be with her, given her propensity towards panic attacks under such circumstances.

The only thing on her mind, the one thing it had been focused on throughout her thorough examination of Rei's being, was wanting to bring as much pleasure as she could to the beautiful miko before her. To make her feel something close to what she herself felt when she was around her. Rei's pale form was her canvas and she wanted to expressively paint her feelings on it, wanting to cover ever inch of her perfect form with them, intending for each brushstroke to be created soley her hands, her body, her lips, her tongue. She wanted to pour all of her unspeakable feelings into every crevice of Rei's being until there was no room for doubt or questions as to whether the beautiful miko meant anything to her.

Because Rei _did_ mean a great deal to her. More than she was willing to venture comprehending outside of imparting it onto her as she was currently doing.

She gently released Rei's other nipple from her lips and the beautiful woman's body rolled sensually in reaction, gasping and panting from the aftershock of it. Minako could tell that the taller woman most likely wouldn't be able to take much more teasing given how strongly she reacted to even the slightest touch. She wanted to continue, to take things further…

But she also wanted to be sure. To know that Rei was ready for this and wanted this as well.

* * *

Rei's skin hummed and shivered as she felt Minako's warm, nude form slide gently up her own. Those soft lips that had brought her unknown pleasures met hers again in another sensual kiss. She responded needily, almost desperately, silently begging for Minako to somehow quell the overwhelming need that had grown and was now churning fiercely within her.

The kiss ended gently and she could feel the gorgeous blonde pulled away slightly. Rei let out a small whimper of frustration as her hooded amethysts opened to see where Minako had gone. She was met by deep, hesitant cobalts that seemed to have questions within them. A tint of anxiety began lacing within the orange-gold flames that were seeping into her as the smaller woman silently regarded her. She could tell that Minako was waiting, watching, looking for any sign from Rei that would signal for her to stop.

* * *

Even in the dim moonlight, Minako could see that those hauntingly, rare lavenders had taken on a darkened haziness to them. The same ones she had seen when the beautiful woman asked her to touch her only days before. They had the same effect on her, instilling a bit of fear due to the depths of their color. A part of her wanted to look away, to break the ominous spell they were beginning to cast upon her.

But she couldn't. She couldn't forsake them, couldn't deny them as they tugged at her heart with their intensity.

A moment passed before she felt a soft hand gently cup her cheek, the thumb softly stroking comfortingly.

"I trust you," Rei whispered breathily, responding to the smaller woman's unspoken concerns. Her smooth voice carried a tone that was meant to assure the gorgeous blonde, to alleviate her worries, and let her know that she wanted the gorgeous blonde to continue.

And that was all Minako needed to hear.

* * *

Rei's eyelids fluttered slightly as she watched Minako's hooded sapphires darken, the gentle flame of her aura beginning to strengthen in response to her simple statement. Kami-sama, every fiber in her desperately wanted those flames to burn through her like a wildfire, leaving nothing but the devastation of her own remains in its wake.

She allowed her eyes to fall closed as Minako leaned in to capture her lips again, just as deeply as before but with a touch more passion. Rei wrapped her arms around the smaller woman as she felt the gorgeous blonde lower herself back on top of her. She was quickly carried back into the mercy of those addictive flames and that sensual body as they enveloped her in their warmth.

As she continued to allow the gorgeous blonde's enticing tongue to dance sensually with her own, her breath hitched as she felt a warm hand glide down from her shoulder, through the valley between her breasts, down her toned stomach to rest gently in between her legs. Shivering in anticipation and a touch of nervousness, Rei slowly parted her legs to allow that hand more access to its intended destination.

* * *

"Mmmm!," the beautiful raven moaned loudly into Minako's mouth as the gorgeous blonde dipped the tip of one of her fingers gently into her. She felt Rei's breath quicken as her pale arms grasped her tightly, holding on to Minako for stability and keeping her from going anywhere else.

Gods, Minako could see now how much her ministrations had affect Rei, could feel them coat the tips of her fingers as she began slowly exploring her, finding the small mound of nerves she was looking for within those slick folds. She held the taller woman closer, protectively, as she began stroking it with care, massaging in slow, deliberate circles. She felt every convulsion of the beautiful raven's body from the shock of each movement, relished every desperately gasp and moan. They made her insides clench deliciously, causing her to roll unconsciously against Rei's toned form in response.

"Ah!," the beautiful miko cried out, breaking their passionate kiss as two of Minako's elegant fingers moved lower and slid slowly, deeply into the taller woman. Minako bit her lip and felt a throbbing inside her from the sound as it was full of desperate need. She quickly brought her lips back to Rei's, needing to swallow those delicious sounds that were now freely spilling from the woman beneath her as if that would help to ease her own desires.

* * *

Rei responded to Minako's lips hungrily as she felt those adept fingers continue to slide deeply in and out of her at a tantalizingly slow and steady pace. Though those fingers satiated the urgent need that had developed and grown deep within her from Minako's thorough ministrations, they also sparked a far more intense and overwhelming desire that demanded satisfaction by those same fingers continuing their movements.

The very thought of Minako being inside her, causing her body to feel such unimaginable pleasures, served to heighten the intensity of her need and each sensation. She could see waves of orange-gold flames pulsate through her in her mind's eye, could feel them ripple through her like ringlets on a still pond. They reverberated throughout her being with every agonizingly deep and slow stroke, each pulse stronger than the last, building upon the one before, fueling the need within her and leading her towards some unknown desire that her body wanted so desperately to follow. The anticipation of it all was maddening.

She couldn't help the almost pleading sounds that were now unabashedly bubbling from her, wordlessly voicing her frustrations and pleasure for what the gorgeous blonde was doing to her. She no longer had control over her body as it moved in time with the gorgeouse blonde's fingers, anxiously hopeful that this personified flame would soon consume her in its smoldering embers. For someone who needed to always be in control, never did it feel so right to be at the mercy of another.

The magnitude of it all caused Rei to gently end their passionate kiss and pull away. She opened her eyes only slightly as it was now quite an effort given what was currently happening to her. But she needed to look upon the woman who was doing these unbelievable things to her being, wanted to intentionally connect these physical and metaphysical sensations to the person whom she had so willingly given herself completely over to.

* * *

The feeling of Rei ending their kiss and pulling away caused Minako to hold the beautiful raven comfortingly and still her movements. She opened her concerned cobalts to see if everything was alright.

What she found was the breathtaking sight of Rei's beautiful face just inches from her own, panting heavily, watching her intently through darkened, hazy, hooded amethysts. She quickly found herself caught up by them again, unable to break away from their magnetic pull on her. She couldn't help but be utterly taken by them, drowning in their depth as they tugged on her heart firmly. The closeness of it was both terrifying and mesmerizing all at once.

She continued to lose herself in those painfully enchanting lavenders, continued to be held captive by their intense gaze…

…until she faltered for a moment and gasped loudly. Her eyelids fluttered briefly, her breath quickening and took in the sweet scent of vanilla as she felt a hand slide down the outline of her body, crossing downward to cup her center, the tips of elegantly agile fingers resting at the edges of her core.

* * *

As Rei's hooded violets took in the image of the bewitching woman above her, she was suddenly overwhelmed by the intimacy of the moment and the impact it was having on her. The way Minako was passionate yet gentle with her, how her orange-gold flaming aura burned so fiercely yet warmly and comfortingly throughout, she found herself compelled to move towards the gorgeous blonde.

Rei caught a brief flicker of hesitation in those captivating cobalts as she reached down towards Minako's core, could see a hint of wariness seeping into those warm colors in response to her actions. But she felt ithe need to share in this moment with her and not just be at the receiving end of it. She wanted this to mean something for Minako as well, to have it affect the both of them.

But she also wanted Minako to want that as well.

* * *

"Together," Rei's smooth voice whispered quietly.

Mianko felt more than heard the beseeching word as it brushed against her lips softly. Though the word itself came out as a simple statement, the tone that accompanied it came out as more of a request, as if the beautiful woman was allowing Minako the option to declined if she so choosed.

An uneasiness began developing within Minako's chest as she silently considered the simple word. She wasn't opposed at all to giving and receiving pleasure under normal circumstances.

But when was anything 'normal' when it came to her and Rei's relationship? Given the events that had occurred earlier and led to this moment, Minako was taking full advantage of the opportunity to expressively project her feelings for Rei onto her and…within her. She wanted to show the beautiful miko just how much she meant to her the best way she knew how.

However…that didn't necessarily mean she wanted to share in the sheer…intimacy…of it all. It was one thing for her to give that to Rei but quite another to be at the receiving end of it. The thought of it made the uneasiness in her chest tighten a bit more.

But those eyes. Those utterly deep and mesmerizingly hazy amethyst eyes. The way they firmly tugged at her heart with such an unspeakable force. And that voice. That smooth, imploring voice. The way it drew her in and held her captive in its depth. She found it impossible to deny them of anything and everything they may desire.

* * *

Rei could see a decision forming within those stunningly deep azure orbs. She watched as the gorgeous blonde gave a small, tentative nod as she moved to open herself up just a bit more to allow Rei to slip inside her slowly, deeply, with such intention and meaning as if to convey to the gorgeous blonde her own strong feelings for her in the language Minako was so fluent in.

"Mmmm," Rei watched intently as Minako's hooded sapphires fluttered and a low, sultry moan poured out from her lips. Her rare violets widened slightly from a shift she began sensing within those fiery orange-gold colors. Though it still held the form of that same smoldering flame that she had so very much come to revere, an ominous element began to blend into it, making it glow stronger, more intensely, causing it to flicker and flare erratically around the smaller woman's being. It was as if Minako had become a living flame, blazing intensely with passion and desire yet remained comfortingly warm and protective.

* * *

Their hooded eyes stayed locked intently onto each other as they slowly began moving together, finding a common, steady rhythm. They vocalized their desires only by the sounds of their wavering breaths, quiet gasps, and soft, erotic moans.

Their darkened eyes never left each other as they held on to each other tightly, their movements becoming deeper, building in intensity. Their lips met again and again as the need inside each of them increased steadily, evolving together at the same pace...

…until their bodies curled around each others' forms, muscles tensing and shaking uncontrollably as they both fell together into indescribable ecstasy.

* * *

As they came at the same time, Rei felt her mind going blank as heat exploded throught her being, drawing a soft cry from her she couldn't contain. Her senses took over and she could feel herself drowning within overwhelming orange-gold pleasure that crashed into her being in waves upon waves that served to stimulate her own release.

In previous times when she had brought Minako to ecstasy, her rays of orange-gold colors exploded outwards from her lithe body, passing through her as they projected themselves throughout the room. But this time, Rei could feel them spill all its concentrated force into her being, bombarding her senses, filling her and overwhelming her with its fiery intensity. She gladly took the brunt of it all, could feel that overwhelming flame weaving itself into the fabric of her being, surrounding each particle of her in a fiery warmth as her body rode what felt like a never ending tidal wave of pleasure. She felt her climax intensify with every one of Minako's convulsions, every quiver of the gorgeous blonde's being. The fact that Rei had even stopped breathing went unnoticed and only served to intensify every sensation exponentially, transcending her to another dimension beyond her comprehension.

And as she felt herself gradually descending from the inconceivable pinnacle of it all, felt her lungs and her muscles beginning to relax and slowly function again, felt that wonderous flame beginning to slowly retreat from her being to return to its owner, she knew that what she had just experienced with the gorgeous blonde was something special and truly reflective of how Minako felt about her.

Once they had removed their fingers from each other, each shuttering from the residual sensations of it, Rei felt Minako shakily bring herself to lie fully on top of her, unable to hold herself up any longer due to the exertion she had expended, resting her head on the taller woman's chest as if to feel the rise and fall of it as Rei's breath slowly began returning to its normal pace. And Rei couldn't blame her, she herself felt spent from her climax and was finding it difficult even to stay alert.

She held the smaller woman comfortingly as best she could, gently stroking her silky blonde hair. Though her abilities were mostly shot given how fatigued she was, she could still faintly feel Minako's warm aura flickering and flaring from its own lingering ecstasy. She closed her eyes, enjoying the residual waves of bliss that hummed throughout her body from her own release and the weight of the gorgeous blonde on top of her that cocooned her in its warmth. They all served to quickly lull her into a calm and peaceful slumber.

* * *

 ** _\- I try my best to never let you in to see the truth. And I've never opened up. I've never truly loved 'til you put your arms around me. And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go. I hope that you see right through my walls. I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling. I'll never let our love get so close. You put your arms around me and I'm home. -_**

The sounds of soft music that continued playing could just barely be heard streaming softly through the thin material of shoji doors that led to a certain miko's bedroom…

…where only one raven-haired woman was currently resting, sound asleep.

The gorgeous blonde, on the other hand, was currently sitting on a stone bench near the rock garden, wrapped in a terrycloth robe…

…and on the verge of what felt like a nervous breakdown.

After coming down from her indescribable, earth-shattering euphoria she had experienced with, and at the hand of, a certain raven-haired beauty, she rested herself on top of beautiful raven, holding her close until she fell asleep. She knew it wouldn't take long, could tell that Rei wouldn't be able to stay up for much longer given what Minako had thoroughly done to her. Once the beautiful miko had dozed off, the make-up artist slipped quietly away, desperately in need of air from a sudden claustrophobic sensation that overcame her.

And here she was, tears streaming down her face, on the brink of hysteria, trying desperately to calm herself down from whatever this was that had seemed to hijack her being.

Her mind raced desperately, trying to understand why her body was betraying her, why she found herself shedding tears yet again for the third time now after having been brought to ecstasy by the beautiful, raven-haired woman who was currently sleeping a couple yards away.

She reflected on the events of the night, trying to decipher what exactly was the cause for her current disturbing state.

She could sense a change within Rei. A submissiveness in everything she did, as if allowing Minako to take the lead and do whatever she wanted. Gods, there was so much trust there and she felt so undeserving, so unworthy of it all. But she also wanted nothing more than to keep Rei safe and bring as much pleasure to the taller woman she cared so much for. Especially given this was her first time experiencing anything like this at all.

Did she enjoy it? Yes. Gods above, yes. She knew from their previous experiences that Rei was depending on her aura to guide her, using it to anchor her and ease her hesitations. And so Minako did what Rei asked. She unapologetically showed the beautiful woman how she felt for her in the best way she could, better than any words she could have been able to provide.

At least up until the very brief moment she hesitated when Rei reached for her.

The uneasy weight in her chest started to feel so much heavier now. She tried to take slow, deep breaths to get her erratic, shallow breathing under control, but even that seemed futile as it continued to run away from her in the form of a low-grade hyperventilation. It felt like the beginnings of a massively ominous panic attack, but only just at the edge of it.

Yes, she wanted to show Rei what she meant to her, to convey how much she cared for the taller woman, impart those feelings she was unable to express onto every inch of her skin, make her feel the same way she made her feel. It was all for Rei, it was all _supposed_ to be about Rei.

She didn't expect to share in the experience herself. She didn't expect such…intensity…such depth within those arresting amethysts as she came, such meaning in the act of what they had done together. She had coupled with a number of people before, was no stranger to such carnal acts, but…never had the experiences ever been so…profoundly intimate…compared to what she had just experienced. And it shook her to her very soul.

Come to think of it, this was also the first time ever that she had come quietly once she had reached her release. She couldn't help it. It was as if her body wanted to keep it all in, as if selfishly not wanting to release any of it into the universe, wanting to share it only with the beautiful, raven-haired woman beneath her.

As her thoughts took her down this new revelation, she reflected on the synergy of their joint efforts on each other, how it had affected her so profoundly, becoming more than she had ever felt before in such acts. It suddenly dawned on her that she had never allowed anyone to touch her in that way before…so deliberately…so intentionally…so full of meaning. She never felt this way before when in the throes of passionate sex with another.

No, she wouldn't describe it that way. This wasn't some lust-filled act. Gods, it was so much more than that. There was no one else but her and Rei. No, it felt as if she had become one with Rei, even if only for the briefest of moments. There was no beginning and end to them as individuals. It wasn't just sex, it was more like...

The chill of the night seemed like a summer afternoon compared to the chill that was running through her right now, causing the hairs on her skin to stand on end and she brought her shaking arms up around herself tightly, as if to protect from some unknown glacial threat in the air. But, in reality, it felt as if she were protecting herself from…herself.

She felt that uneasy weight settle deeply in her chest as if it were taking up a permanent residence there. She also began to feel another familiar sensation: that critically urgent need to run as far away and as fast as possible.

 _Fuck! C'mon, Minako!_ , she chided herself harshly, _Get it together! Just_ _fucking_ _breathe!_ She closed her eyes tightly as she tried desperately to channel Michiru's sweet, calming voice to help her focus and calm down.

She had purposefully tamped down these heavy, unnerving emotions as best she could to keep Rei from feeling them. To keep her from worrying or believing she did not thoroughly enjoy it as much as she did. Only once the beautiful raven had dozed off was she able to slip away and it began breaching the walls she tried so desperately to contain them in, lashing out upon her being.

Her thoughts turned to irritation with herself now, wanting to scream out loud in frustration against these treacherous emotions that caused tears to flow freely from her eyes, urging her to jump in her car and speed off into the night. Why!? Why was this happening to her!? She just had the best night of her life with someone she cared so deeply for…

…deeper than anyone else before.

She shook her head and reached up to palm her locket, trying to hold on to something solid in the world and not let herself get carried away by whatever curse was plaguing her.

The familiar shape in her hand as she anxiously worried it helped to steady her a bit. She couldn't help the small smile that came to her alluring lips as the item reminded her of the beautiful raven-haired woman. The thought of Rei always seemed to have that effect on her, calming her from her own rash insanity.

Her silky dark hair, her porcelain skin, her taste, her smell, those eyes that were so intense they captured her very soul every time. Her laugh, her sense of humor, her kindness, her warmth, how she felt so complete when Rei was with her. Gods, she loved it all, every bit of it. She...

The turbulent storm within her came to a complete and utter standstill. The tears ceased and her clear sapphire eyes widened as her hand came up to her mouth in shock, muffling the gasp that escaped as her mind began setting pieces together, solving the puzzle.

…Love.

It wasn't just sex. It was more like...

…making love.

As this thought settled into her comprehension, a new wave of tears formed in her eyes and began slowly cascading down her smooth cheeks.

She...loved her.

She…loved…Rei.

The tears began flowing freely anew as her awareness turned into understanding.

She was in love.

A torrent of emotions release from her heart into her awareness. It was almost crippling. My gods, how she loved Rei. She had fallen so far beyond her comprehension in love with Rei that now realizing it and thinking about it was indescribable.

Now that she understood what this was, had a name for it, was able to analyze it more critically, it all made sense now. The ominous uneasiness and intensity of her feeling for Rei, the willingness to be vulnerable beyond her comfort, the way her heart was pulled when she was met those captivating amethysts, the claustrophobic sensation she was battling just moments ago, even the crying after their intense couplings and her urgent desire to run. She was fighting herself, fighting these feelings she had already known in her heart but didn't want to admit, desperately trying to find ways and excuses to escape it all and protect herself from harm.

Because now, she was at a disadvantage. She had willingly, though unknowingly, given her heart, her soul, her…very sense of safety…to another person...who may not even feel the same way for her. It was terrifying, almost paralyzing how trapped she felt. As she reflected on all those times she felt uneasy, wanted to flee, wanted to end whatever this was, her mind had lost to her heart on every occasion when it came to Rei.

And now, she knew why.

 _ **\- What if I go? What if I leave?**_ _ **What if I show you how you're breaking me?**_ _ **And I know whatever I say,**_ _ **I'll still be thinking, 'What if I stay?'**_ _ **What if I'm sorry? What if I love you? -**_

 _Maybe I_ _should_ _leave now_ , she contemplated anxiously to herself. What if Rei didn't feel the same way? What if she was alone on this path of love and Rei was on a different road altogether? This was Rei's first relationship after all, would she even know what it meant or felt like to fall in love with someone else?

Hell, who was _she_ to say? _She_ just realized herself that she was in love and how many relationships had _she_ been in? She never felt this way about any of them before. She loved them, yes, but was never _in_ love with them.

Is that why she ran away from all of them too? To potentially avoid her feelings? She realized now that she never _did_ stay long enough in a relationship once the other person confessed to her. She didn't feel the same way back. To be fair though, she never even _let_ herself go there.

Gods, if Rei didn't feel the same way back, left her at this moment the same way she had left all those others before, she would crumble to pieces. The very thought of it was suffocatingly crushing.

Is that how they all felt when she left them? Is this how Karin felt when she broke up with her after she had confessed? She wouldn't be able to stand it if Rei left right now or didn't feel the same way. How had they all done it? How did Karin do it? How was she able to move on afterwards to find someone else?

The weight of these thoughts that now plagued her, wreaked havoc on her being, caused her to hunch over slightly, sobbing quietly now as she spiraled down into them, unable to escape the darkness of it all, feeling utterly hopeless as to what she should do given these new realizations.

* * *

"Ah!," she jumped slightly and an audible squeak escaped her as she felt gentle, warm arms encompassing her, warding off the chill from the night and snapping her out of the darkness from within.

"Ssshh," a soft, smooth voice cooed in her left ear comfortingly. She felt a chin gently rest on her left shoulder and a warm body leaning into her from behind, "It's just me."

That voice, this familiar warmth, Minako couldn't resist and found herself leaning back into it, allowing her head to fall back to rest on a comforting shoulder. The scent of vanilla tickled at her consciousness as she reached up and grab the sleeves that draped those comforting arms as tightly as she could. She swallowed hard and took a few hesitating breaths to try and calm herself down, fighting the urge to run, wanting to at least remember the feeling of being in Rei's arms, being so close to the woman she loved, because she wasn't sure what would happen next for them and was so fearful of it all coming to an end.

"What's wrong, my love?" the smooth whisper of concern reached her ears and it caused her to breath to hitch in shock. Did she…just hear what she thought she heard?

* * *

Rei felt the smaller woman stiffen within her grasp, felt her shivering aura ripple in shock in response to her words. She reluctantly released the gorgeous blonde as she felt her shift within her grasp so she could turn to face her. She watched as Minako turned her head slowly, her heart breaking as she saw her tear-stained face and those soft, azure eyes that seemed to carry the weight of the world's fears within them.

"What did you say?," Minako's melodic voice whispered timidly.

Rei paused for a moment to analyze the quivering aura that surrounded Minako's being. Having had some time to rest, her abilities returned to their usual strength and she had woken up with a start from feeling agonizingly turbulent, orange-gold rays coming from the backyard. She quickly got to her feet, wrapped herself in a cotton robe, and followed the sensation until it led her to the gorgeous blonde, sitting near the rock garden, sobbing quietly by herself.

And as she studied those orange-gold colors, she could tell by how it trembled around Minako's being that the gorgeous blonde was anxious and terrified.

But…within that wavering glow…Rei could also see a sliver of…hope?

She decided to take a calculated risk, hoping that what she deciphered was right and that she wouldn't come to regret what she was about to do.

She brought herself slowly to sit next to the smaller woman on the bench, facing the opposite direction towards the house, purposefully averted her violet gaze down to the sliver of bench between them so as not to frighten Minako any further with what she was about to say.

"Mina," she began slowly, trying to find the right words that would even come close to what she felt she wanted to say, "You asked me to be honest and I promised you that I would be. Ever since the day I met you, you have turned my world upside down and inside out. I've…never met anyone like you before and I'm…I'm done trying to hide how I feel about you."

She sensed those orange-gold colors glowing just a touch stronger, as if it were hanging onto to every word Rei had to say, listening attentively, trying to decipher where Rei was going with her statements.

She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly to steady herself as she brought her intense, amethyst eyes up to lock intently onto anxious sapphires that shimmered in the moonlight from the tears they had recently shed.

"I love you," she said softly, "I'm in love with you, Mina. I've been in love with you for a while now."

* * *

The depth of those simple words, the conviction behind them, dispelled all of Minako's uneasiness, all the doubts, all the worries and fears that had begun to consume her. Those perfect lips had just echoed in words what she herself felt deep within her heart for the beautiful miko.

She recognized the look in those caring lavenders, could feel them pulling on her heart again from the amount of adoration displayed within them. It dawned on her then that this hauntingly mesmerizing look that always managed to captivate her very essence was a reflection of the depths of Rei's feelings for her.

Gods, how long had Rei felt this way about her? The thought of Rei loving her for so long, how she must have anguished with keeping these strong feelings hidden within her, not knowing how Minako felt about her, having nothing but hope to carry her on that Minako could possibly feel the same way back...

She couldn't help the new tears that began to form and trail down her smooth cheeks in a mixture of heartbreak, an overwhelming sense of relief, and incomparable elation at the thought and of their situation. Rei love her. And she loved Rei. It was all almost too much for her to take.

She couldn't speak. Words and thoughts failed her and she instead found herself responding only by leaning in to capture Rei's lips with her own in a passionate and deep kiss, needing to convey in her own way to the beautiful miko that she was sorry. Sorry for causing her any pain and for taking so long to realize in herself that she felt just as strongly and cared just as deeply for her.

* * *

Rei allowed her eyes to close and found herself sighing into Minako's mouth as she felt her orange-gold colors strengthening and surging into her in the form of that gentle flame she loved so much. The intensity of it was so protective, so sure, so brilliant, so affirming. A single tear formed and found its way slowly down her cheek as she kissed the gorgeous blonde back just as deeply.

She allowed Minako to lead her back to the bedroom where they continued their exploration of their newly found love for each other. This time there was no hesitation, no inhibitions, as both women came together again and again, confirming their love for each other over and over, until exhaustion overtook them and they both drifted into sleep, tangled within each others embrace, satisfied and content with the knowledge that the woman they had fallen so hopelessly in love with…undoubtedly felt the same way back.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Yes! Finally, it's happened! Is this the end? Absolutely not. But if you like happy endings and a shorter story then it could be the end if you wanted it to be.

That isn't to say there won't be a happy ending once this epic story is over. It just won't be for a while as I'll be putting them both through some trials before they both get to their final destination. I hope you stick around for that!

The next chapter will mark the halfway point in the story (by plot, not by chapters!). I like to think of it as signaling the end of "Act 1" and the beginning of "Act 2" if you will.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 04/2017)


	38. Chapter 38: End of Act I

**Author Note:** I originally envisioned this chapter having quite a few more scenes to move the story along, but it would have made for too long and bulky of a chapter.

 **Omedetou gozaimasu** = [Japanese] Congratulations

 **kagura** = [Japanese] ancient Shinto ritual dance. The four main types are Miko, Ise, Izumo, and Shishi.

Shinto. (2017, April 12). In _Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia_. Retrieved 08:02, April 16, 2017, from . ?title=Shinto &oldid=775064925

 _Pop-Quiz: 4 Questions_

 _1_ \- In Chapter 10, when Mamoru met Rei, where did he say he met Usagi?

 _2 -_ In Chapter 21, what disclaimer signs appeared periodically along the fence of the fleet management facility Rei takes Minako to?

 _3 -_ In Chapter 29, what did Nobuo say he didn't do when he was checking if Minako found her phone at the Laundromat?

 _4_ \- In Chapter 30, when Rei slammed her fist onto the top of the car while she was angry about her father, what did she say?

I don't own Sailor Moon, Girl Friends, any brand names, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Morinaga, M. (2006). _Girl Friends_. Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan: Futabasha Publishers Ltd.

Clarkson, K. and Tedder, R. (2009). _Already Gone_ [Recorded by Kelly Clarkson]. On All I Ever Wanted [CD], New York, New York: RCA Records.

Gottwald, L., Martin, M., McKee, B., Perry, K., Walter, H. (2012). _Wide Awake_ [Recorded by Katy Perry]. On Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection [CD], Los Angeles, California: Capitol Records, LLC.

Abraham, J., Goldstein, O., Jepsen, C., Maher, K., McKee, B. (2012). _Turn Me Up_ [Recorded by Carly Rae Jepsen]. On Kiss [CD], Vancouver, British Columbia, and Santa Monica, California: 604 Records, School Boy Records, and Interscope Records.

Honda and the Accord belongs to Honda Motor Co., Ltd (cited April, 2017). Mercedes-Benz and the S600 Guard is a division of, and belongs to, the Daimler AG Corporation (cited June, 2015). Subaru belongs to the automobile manufacturing division of the Subaru Corporation (cited August, 2013). Lexus is a division of, and belongs to, the Toyota Motor Corporation (cited September, 2013). The brands are used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

The restaurant 'Himitsu' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 38:**

 ** _Brrrrrrrrrring!... Brrrrrrrrrring!..._**

The distant, shrill ringing of a rotary phone echoing down the hall caused pale eyelids to flutter open. Rei took a deep intake of breath through her nose as she began to wake up from the familiar sound. Once she had awakened, her rare violets were drawn downwards towards a certain gorgeous blonde whose nude form was currently wrapped tightly around her. A soft smile came to her lips as she took a moment to appreciate Minako's peaceful, sleeping face and that dimmed, warm aura glowing gently around her being. She leaned down to kiss the top of her head gently before carefully untangling herself from the smaller woman.

 ** _Brrrrrrrrrring!..._**

The raven-haired miko rolled lazily to her feet. She donned her cotton robe and quietly exited her bedroom to answer the phone.

 ** _Brrrrrrrrrri-!_**

"Hikawa Shrine," she greeted once she had brought the handset to her ear, her smooth voice a touch hoarse from having just woken up.

"Good morning, granddaughter," a cheerful raspy voice responded over the line, "I'm calling to let you know that I have just arrived at the Musashino train station."

"Already?," Rei asked with a yawn and a bit of surprise. She brought a hand up to rub the sleep from her eyes, "Isn't your train leaving there at 5:15am?"

She heard her grandfather's signature chuckle over the line in reply, "Reiko, my dear," he said good-naturedly, "It's already 10 minutes past 5:00am."

"Wait, what?," Rei asked in shock, fully awakening now from this bit of information. She took a side-step towards the restroom, bringing the handset with her, to look at the digital clock resting on the counter of the sink, 5:10am.

Her grandfather continued to chuckle with amusement, "I can't recall the last time my beloved granddaughter slept in so late," he teased playfully.

"M-Mmn…me neither," Rei responded sheepishly, knowing she would have probably continued sleeping had it not been for her grandfather's call. She could feel a blush beginning to spread on her pale cheeks as she brought a hand up to rub the back of her neck bashfully.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Reiko," her grandfather assured cheerfully, "It is quite understandable that you would be so exhausted given the exertion that was put upon you."

Rei froze at her grandfather's words. The blush on her face began to darken as she could only imagine what her clairvoyant grandfather may have foreseen regarding the events from last night, _Kami-sama! Does…Does Grandpa know that Mina and I-_

"Yuuichirou-kun informed me that you three were quite busy with visitors yesterday," Rei's grandfather continued, a touch of concern apparent in his raspy tone, "I apologize for not being there to assist you. I hope you did not over-extend yourself?"

"…M-Mmn! I-I mean, no! I mean…," Rei took a breath to collect herself from her initial embarrassment, "Y-Yes, it was pretty busy. And, no, I'm fine, Grandpa."

"Wonderful! I'm glad to hear it," her grandfather responded with a hint of relief in his voice, "But isn't it getting a bit late, my dear? If I remember correctly, Aino-chan mentioned the other day that she needed to be at work this morning by 7:00am? Am I mistaken?"

"No, you're right, Grandpa," Rei replied with a nod as she glanced at the clock again, "I'll probably go wake her up after we hang up."

"Splendid," Rei's grandfather said approvingly, "I should be back at the shrine before she leaves so that I may say goodbye."

"Wait," Rei said with some confusion, "Don't you need me to pick you up?"

"Yuuichirou-kun was kind enough to offer me a ride from the train station on his way to the shrine this morning," her grandfather explained, "He wanted you two to enjoy the morning together before Aino-chan left, as do I."

"…Oh," Rei responded dumfoundedly, trying to comprehend her grandfather's words.

"I believe it is a gesture of gratitude for mentoring him yesterday," her grandfather explained patiently, "Perhaps when you see him later today you could…what is that phrase the kids are using? 'Cut him some slack'?"

An amused smirk came to Rei's alluring lips at her grandfather's words, "Ok, I'll be sure to thank him when I see him." She gave an exaggerated sigh as her rare lavenders went to the ceiling, "Aaaand I gueeessss I'll _try_ to be nice," she said in a feigned, exasperated tone.

"That's my granddaughter," she heard her grandfather chuckle playfully with pride.

 ** _Whoooooooot! Eeeeeeeeeeee…Chhhhhhhhhhh!_**

The beautiful raven heard the sound of a train whistling as it pulled in to the station in the background.

"Oh!, I must go, Reiko!," Rei's grandfather said hurriedly, "But I shall see you very soon. I love you, my dear."

"Mmn. I love you too, Grandpa," Rei responded fondly. She was about to hang up when-

"Oh, and Reiko?," she heard her grandfather's raspy voice called out suddenly.

"Y-Yes, Grandpa?," Rei replied as she brought the handset back to her ear.

"Omedetou gozaimasu!," her grandfather said quickly with a hint of mischief before she heard him let out a full laugh and the line went dead.

Rei set the handset down on its cradle on the telephone base and crouched down low next to it on the floor, making herself into as small of a ball as possible, utterly mortified now since she knew for sure that her beloved grandfather knew _exactly_ what happened last night between her and the gorgeous blonde currently resting in her bedroom.

* * *

"I know I have to go, but I _really_ don't want to," Minako whined as she pouted childishly. Her arms were wrapped around Rei's neck, her forehead resting on the taller woman's as they stood next to Minako's car. Given how late it had already gotten, she had opted to dress in her manager's uniform that she brought with her, planning on driving directly to Kirei from the shrine in order to get there on time.

"Now, now, Manager-san," Rei chided playfully as she smirked, amused by Minako's antics, "Be a good boss and set a good example for your coworkers." She was dressed in her miko garbs, ready to open the shrine for the day. Her hands were resting on the gorgeous blonde's hips, holding her close and enjoying her warm, gentle orange-gold flames.

Once she had recovered as best she could from humiliation by her grandfather's teasing remarks on the phone, she had gently woken up the gorgeous blonde and they both set about their morning routine, had breakfast, and packed their things. All the while, Minako's aura seemed to permanently take on the form of that gentle, warm, orange-gold flame she adored so much whenever the smaller woman's attention was on her. After last night, she had come to recognize that this soft, fiery aura was the personification of the gorgeous blonde's true feelings for her, which only made her cherish it even more.

Now here they stood, behind Minako's car at 6:32am, with Minako's things packed up and them stretching their goodbyes for as long as they possibly could, not wanting to part from each other.

"Ugh, fiiiinnneee," Minako groaned despondently as she rolled her eyes, causing the beautiful miko to giggle softly. She pulled away a bit and brought her hand up to Rei's cheek, getting her attention, their unique eyes finding each other, "Will you be home by the time I get off work?"

"Mmn," Rei nodded softly in response, leaning into the gorgeous blonde's touch, "The shrine closes early on Fridays so I should be home by then."

"I'll stop by once I'm off then," Minako said with a soft smile as she enjoyed losing herself in those rare, captivating violets.

"Sounds good," Rei replied as a gentle smile tugged at the corner of her alluring lips. She pulled the smaller woman closer and closed her eyes as she rested her forehead on Minako's again, "I love you, Aino Minako," she whispered softly, as if disclosing a deep secret meant just for the gorgeous blonde before her.

She sighed contently as she felt those warm, orange-gold flames flare delightfully in response. She could almost feel Minako's soft smile against her lips as they were captured by them in a gentle, lingering kiss. She felt the gorgeous blonde move closer, bringing their bodies together, savoring the moment as their kiss began to deepen.

 ** _…vvrrOOOMM…_**

The distinct sound of a car changing gears as it drove up the hill towards the house caused the two women to reluctantly end their kiss. As they parted to stand next to each other, a modest, silver, Honda Accord drove around and onto the stone-paved driveway to park beside Minako's car. Once the engine stopped, Rei's grandfather stepped out of the vehicle.

"Aino-chan!," Rei's grandfather called out cheerfully as he shut the passenger-side door and shuffled his way towards the two women, "I'm so glad we made it back in time to see you off before you left."

"Mmn," Minako nodded in agreement, "Perfect timing. I was just about to head out, too."

"Hey, Aino-san," Yuuichirou greeted cheerfully with a wave as he shut the driver-side door and trotted around his car towards the group, "Good seeing you again," he said with a polite bow, "I hope you have a safe drive back."

"Mmn, thanks," Minako replied with a friendly smile as she bowed back. She turned to Rei's grandfather and bowed respectfully, "Thank you so much for having me, Ojiisan. I really enjoyed meeting you and I can't want to see you again."

"Likewise, child," Rei's grandfather replied with a kind smile as he bowed in return, "Come back anytime you like. This is your home as much as it is ours."

"Thanks, I'll be sure to do that," Minako responded sincerely as she straightened. She turned towards the raven-haired miko and slid her hand into the taller woman's, intertwining their fingers, "I'll see you later, baby?," she said endearingly, her piercing sapphires full of adoration.

"Mmn," Rei nodded in reply as she gently squeezed the gorgeous blonde's hand. She found herself blushing bashfully as the smaller woman stepped towards her, planting a sweet kiss on her cheek, before gently squeezing her hand and releasing it to walk around her car to the driver-side door.

As Minako started the car, a driving pop-ballad began playing from the radio over the speakers.

 ** _\- You know that I love you so. I love you enough to let you go. I want you to know that it doesn't matter where we take this road. Someone's gotta go. And I want you to know you couldn't have loved me better. But I want you to move on. So I'm already gone. -_**

She watched as Rei, Rei's grandfather, and Yuuichirou moved aside to allow her to back up from her parked spot. And as she shifted gears to make her way down the hill, she gave a wave to the group and began her journey back to the city.

* * *

"Such a pleasant girl," Rei's grandfather commented musingly, "It's a shame I wasn't able to spend as much time with her as I would have liked."

"Don't worry, Grandpa," Rei responded reassuringly as she saw his solemn countenance and heavy shades of disappointment in his light-green colors, "I'll see if we can schedule another time to visit soon."

"Mmn," Rei's grandfather responded quietly with a soft nod. He took a deep breath and let it out quickly before putting on a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "So," he said as he turned to address both his granddaughter and his apprentice, "Shall we begin opening the shrine for the day?"

"Sure!," Yuuichirou replied cheerfully, ready to get to work and learn as much as he could from not one, but two senseis for the day.

"M-Mmn," Rei replied hesitantly. She noticed her beloved grandfather's typically playful aura waver slightly, as if faltering for a brief moment, before it returned to its usual glow as he changed the subject.

"Wonderful," Rei's grandfather exclaimed cheerfully as a wide smile graced his worn face. He shuffled towards Yuuichirou's car to retrieve his bag before he began shuffling towards the house, "Reiko, could you assist Yuuichirou-kun in the initial set-up?," he called over his shoulder, "I'd like a moment to freshen up before I join you two. I'll just be a minute."

"Yes, Grandpa," Rei replied obediently, shrugging off her concerns and chalking it up to her grandfather probably being tired from his journey.

* * *

As Rei's grandfather headed into the house, Rei turned to the young apprentice and bowed low towards him, "I must apologize for my behavior towards you yesterday," she said formally, "It was uncalled for given the dedication you've show to my home and my grandfather and the kindness you've shown to Mina and myself. Thank you." Though she was being much more cordial to the young man than she had been, she still kept her demeanor a bit distant and reserved. After all, he was _still_ a _man_.

"O-Oh! No, no, I should be thanking you!," Yuuichirou sputtered humbly as he bowed respectfully in return, "I learned so much from you yesterday and I look forward to learning more from you and Sensei today!"

"Are you familiar with any of the kaguras?," Rei inquired as she straightened.

"W-What?," the young apprentice stuttered as he straightened, a bit thrown by Rei's sudden change of topic before the question sank in, "O-Oh! Umm…Y-Yeah, the shrine in my hometown does, uh…Shishi and Izumo kaguras. I-I've only seen them a couple times before, but that's about it."

"Mmn. That makes sense since you're from the northeast," Rei replied with a nod as she considered Yuuichirou's comments, "Well, perhaps if there aren't too many visitors and we have some available time, I can teach you a little more about those two and show you the Miko and Ise ones as well."

Yuuichirou stared blankly at the famous archer, a bit puzzled by what she was trying to say. But once he comprehended her words, realizing now that she was openly offering to teach and mentor him, his dark-blue eyes lit up with excitement, "Y-Yeah…Yeah! Sure! That'd be really great!," he said enthusiastically, "I go get started on opening then!"

"I'll catch up with you in a bit," the beautiful raven-haired miko replied, "I have something to attend to first."

The young apprentice nodded in confirmation before he trotted off towards the shrine, eager to have as much time as possible to learn as much as he could.

Once Yuuichirou was out of sight, Rei reached into her miko garbs and pulled her phone out. She flipped it open and began typing a few keys. Once the sound of a sent text came from the device, she shut it and put it away as a wide smile graced her alluring lips. She had a feeling that today was going to be a great day.

* * *

"Have a safe trip, Hino-sensei!," Yuuichirou said eagerly as he bowed respectfully towards the beautiful, raven-haired woman who was dressed in a loose-fitting, short-sleeved, light-purple tank top, flattering faded jeans, and white flats. It was already 12:37pm and she had just finished loading her car with the remainder of her things to return home., "I learned a great deal today. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Kumanda-san," Rei replied with a polite bow, "Thank you for all your hard work today. Please continue to take care of my grandfather whenever you come by."

"Of course!," the young apprentice responded cheerfully as he straightened. He turned towards Rei's grandfather, who was standing nearby, "I'm going to go start closing up the shrine," he said with a quick bow before he trotted off, leaving the beautiful woman and her grandfather to say their goodbyes in private.

"You sure you don't need me to stay and help with that?," Rei asked with concern as she turned to her grandfather.

"There isn't much left to do, Reiko," her grandfather chuckled amusingly at his beloved granddaughter's worrying, "We'll be fine closing on our own. Besides, Aino-chan said she would visit you once she was off work today, correct?," he continued with a playful wink, "It would be rude to keep such a lovely woman waiting now, wouldn't it?"

"Uh…m-mmn," Rei replied shyly as she averted her gaze to the ground beside her, an adorable blush beginning to form on her cheeks from her grandfather's teasing.

Rei's grandfather continued to chuckle good-naturedly as he watched those flame-red colors sway with a bit of bashfulness. He shuffled closer to his beloved granddaughter and gently took both of her hands in his, bringing her rare amethysts back to meet his warm, dark orbs, "You don't know what it means to me to see you so happy, my dear," he said sincerely as he looked intently at his beloved granddaughter, smiling contently as he felt the full strength of her aura for the first time, unmarred by sadness or loneliness, "I'm so delighted for you that you have found what you've been looking for after all this time."

Rei couldn't help the tears that began to form in her intense lavenders, at her beloved grandfather's words, touched by the meaning behind them and the warm, loving emotions bleeding into her in the form of light-green colors. She sniffed a bit as a soft smile came to her lips, "Thanks, Grandpa," was all she could manage whispering sincerely in response. She knelt down to his height and pulled him in for a warm hug, wanting to convey to the wise, diminutive man how much he meant to her and how grateful she was to have him in her life.

Rei's grandfather returned the hug just as tightly as tears began forming in his wise, dark eyes, "I will miss you terribly, my dear," he said endearingly.

"I'll miss you too, Grandpa," Rei replied sincerely as she held him tighter, as if trying to comfort the sadness she began sensing within those light-green colors, "I promise I'll come see you again really soon."

"Mmn, I know you will," Rei's grandfather nodded as the tears slowly trickled down his worn cheeks. They stayed a moment longer holding each other before Rei's grandfather gently pulled away to take in his beloved granddaughter's image. He smiled softly as he brought his worn hands up gently to the sides of Rei's face, tilting her head down slightly so he could place a loving kiss on her forehead before pulling away again, "You have always made me so proud, Reiko," he said softly, "Kami-sama has truly blessed me beyond what I deserve to be able to raise not one, but two independent, strong, intelligent, beautiful, and kind women."

"Grandpa," Rei whispered, her smooth voice cracking slightly. She could see the pride in his dark eyes, could feel the overwhelming love he had for her and for her mother within his comforting colors as they caused the tears that had formed in her eyes to fall down her elegant cheeks, "I love you, Grandpa."

Rei's grandfather gently wiped his granddaughter's tears away with his thumbs, "And I love you, Reiko. More than I could possibly ever tell you." He smiled warmly before he moved closer to hug her again, "I only hope that this will suffice."

"Mmn," Rei nodded, feeling his light-green aura encompassing her with such care and love. She held her grandfather close in return, hoping that he could feel how much she loved him in return.

They stayed that way for a moment longer before Rei's grandfather reluctantly pulled away, "Now…run along, Reiko," he said kindly, a bit of his usual playfulness returning to his raspy voice as he brought the corner of his hakama sleeve up to wipe the tears from his face.

"Yes, Grandpa," Rei replied obediently with a small chuckle as she took a breath to steady herself. She wiped the tears from her face with her hands as she stood up, "I'll call you later, ok?"

"Mmn, please do," her grandfather replied with a nod. He watched as his beloved granddaughter gave a small wave before she turned and went to the driver-side of her Lexus, gracefully sliding into the driver seat, and started the engine.

 ** _…vvrrOOOMM!_**

As the beautiful raven shut the door and rolled down the window, a pop-ballad began playing from the radio:

 ** _\- How did I read the stars so wrong? (I'm wide awake.) And now it's clear to me that everything you see ain't always what it seems. (I'm wide awake.) Yeah, I was dreaming for so long. I wish I knew then what I know now. Wouldn't dive in, wouldn't bow down. Gravity hurts. You made it so sweet. 'Til I woke up on, on the concrete. Falling from Cloud Nine, crashing from the high. I'm letting go tonight. I'm falling from Cloud Nine. -_**

"Ittekimasu," Rei called out towards the elderly man through the window.

"Itterasshai, my dear," Rei's grandfather replied as he waved. As she began slowly backing out of the driveway, he smirked mischieviously, "And give my love to my future granddaughter-in-law as well!"

Rei instinctively slammed on the brakes from her astonishment at his remarks. When her wide, violet eyes looked to him and was met only by his full and playful laugh at her reaction, her astonishment immediately turned to mortification at his teasing, "G-GRANDPAAA!," she whined with embarrassment and irritation, only earning her a much boisterous round of laughter from the elderly man who was nearly doubling over from it.

"Mataku…," the beautiful raven grumble quietly to herself, feeling her cheeks blazing with a deep blush as she rolled her eyes at that flickering light-green aura that was dancing a bit _too_ playfully with mirth and teasing for her liking before she continued on her way down the hill and towards the city.

* * *

Once Rei's car was out of sight, her grandfather's face fell and became solemn. He closed his eyes and he took a deep breath to steady himself from his overwhelming emotions, _Thank you for your generosity, Kami-sama_ , he prayed silently.

His countenance relaxed as he felt a gentle wind flow by, as if responding to his prayer. He smiled to himself as he listened to it softly rustle the leaves of the surrounding trees and scrape the leaves that had fallen to the ground gently across the stone-paved floor before it left as quickly as it had arrived, returning the atmosphere to its original state.

He carefully opened his dark orbs, feeling a calming sense of peace, _It is time,_ he thought to himself matter-of-factly as he turned and shuffled his way towards the shrine.

 ** _Ssssshuck_**

"Yuuichirou-kun?," Rei's grandfather called out once he had entered the shine through the shoji doors.

"Yes, Sensei?," the young apprentice replied as he lifted his head to bring his attention to the elderly man. He was on his hands and knees, busy scrubbing the wooden floors of the shrine.

"I must apologize, child," the diminutive man began as he approached and bowed apologetically, "I did not realize until now how much the trip I took this morning and working today would wear on me so. Would you mind terribly if I took a nap while you finish closing the shrine on your own?"

"No, not at all!," Yuuichirou replied as he sat up to properly address his teacher. He brought a hand up to give him a thumbs-up, "Just leave it to me!"

"Wonderful," Rei's grandfather responded with a kind smile, "When you're done, please stay for dinner and keep an old man company, would you?"

"Sure!," Yuuichirou replied eagerly, "You don't have to tell me twice. You know how much I love your cooking."

"Splendid!," Rei's grandfather chuckled in response as he gave an appreciative nod, "Well then, I'll take my leave," he said as he shuffled his way towards the house.

"Mmn," Yuuichirou nodded as he knelt back down to continue his work, "Sleep well and pleasant dreams!"

"Mmn," Rei's grandfather replied softly as he continued through the back shoji doors to the house. He prepared his room by setting up his futon before going to the bathroom and taking a quick shower. Feeling a bit more refreshed from the day, he searched his closet, sifting through his clothes until he found a simple, white yukata. Donning the yukata, making sure to carefully cross the left side over the right, he crawled onto his futon and pulled the blanket up over himself before he closed his eyes to rest peacefully.

* * *

 ** _\- I'm breaking up with you. You're breaking up on me. You kissed me on the phone. And I don't think it reaches. What am I to do? And how's it gonna be? 'Cause breaking us in two is breaking me to pieces. -_**

 ** _Knock, Knock!_**

"One second!," Minako called towards the locked door of her office. The store had been fairly busy all morning and Minako found herself helping out in the front for most of that time. Once everything seemed to calm around noon, she purposefully locked herself in her office so she could focus on catching up with things she missed while she was away, wanting to finish everything up before her shift ended so she could start enjoying her weekend with a certain raven-haired beauty without any worries.

She was already close to finishing by the time a knock came to her door so she took a moment to complete the last of her tasks and save her work. She checked the clock on her computer screen, 1:10pm. Mentally congratulating herself for her efficiency, she pressed a button on her keyboard to turn off the music she was listening to and walked around her desk to the door, unlocked it, and opened it.

"Aren't _you_ the popular one these days," Akko said teasingly as she smirked playfully with her arms crossed in front of her.

"What?," Minako asked as she gave her adorable mentee a perplexed look and tilted her head questioningly.

"There's _two_ gentlemen-callers here to see you," the younger woman explained. She relaxed her stance and brought a hand up to run her fingers through her light-brown hair, "They're dressed like the guy who came here last time so I'm assuming they also work for that girl you're dating…but…," she paused and looked away, her eyebrows knitting slightly.

"…'But'?," Minako asked expectantly as she raised a delicate eyebrow at her mentee.

"I…I don't know," Akko explained hesitantly, shrugging as she allowed her hand to fall to her side in defeat, "They just…I can't explain it. I just don't have a good feeling about them."

"Well, now I _have_ to go see them if you put it _that_ way," Minako replied in a sarcastically eager tone, playfully teasing the younger woman as she began walking towards the locker room to the storefront. Her mentee responded only by rolling her eyes before following close behind.

* * *

"That's them?," Minako whispered over her shoulder to Akko as she subtly gestured towards a tall, fit, ordinary-looking man in his mid-fifties standing next to a younger, boy-ish looking man in his early thirties. Both were wearing sharp, black suits and white dress shirts, standing stiffly towards the front of the store and looking sorely out of place.

"M-Mmn," Akko whispered back nervously, her voice carrying a bit of apprehension, "Do you know them?"

Minako shook her head, "Nope, never seen them before." She turned to face the anxious younger woman. As she moved closer and brought a hand up to rest on Akko's shoulder, the younger woman looked at her with deep worry, "Well, Akko-chan," Minako said softly in a solemn tone, "It's been nice knowing you."

Akko blinked a couple times before she registered the mischievious smirk beginning to play across Minako's lips, "B-Baka!," Akko sputtered as she pouted and swatted Minako's hand away playfully.

Minako giggled at her mentee's reaction, "Sorry, it's just too tempting to tease you when you get all serious!" She started heading towards the front of the store, "I'll go see what they wants."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Akko huffed, "Just…be careful, alright?," she couldn't help but hiss quietly with concern.

"Yes, ma'aaaaam," Minako sang obediently over her shoulder playfully as she continued towards the mysterious stranger.

* * *

"Hi, welcome to Kirei," Minako bowed politely towards both men once she had approached, "I was told you wanted to see me?"

"Good afternoon, Aino-san," the older man responded formally with a polite bow, "My name is Hamada Zurui and this is my associate Sato Iwao. We received a message from Hino-sama earlier today requesting that we fetch you at this time."

"…Oh?," the word came out as more of a question as Minako looked at the strangers with confusion.

"Please collect your things and come with me. I have a car waiting for us outside," Zurui said formally. He gestured towards Iwao, "My associate will take care of your car if you would be so kind as to provide him with your keys."

"M-Mmn," Minako responded with a small nod as she looked at the two men, still processing what was going on, "Well…umm…ok. Let me…let me just close out my shift." She began to half-turned to head towards the back to get her things before she paused for a moment and brought her attention back to the two strangers, "I-Is…Is everything alright? I mean…I thought we were just going to meet up after I got off work so I'm a little confused as to-"

"My apologies, Aino-san," Zurui interjected apologetically with a formal bow, "We were only given instructions to collect you so we're unaware of any specifics outside of that."

"I see," Minako replied simply. She was silent for a moment before she shrugged, "Well…alright then," she conceded, "I'll just be right back." She turned and headed towards the back door and made her way to her office.

* * *

"M-Mina-chan!," Akko called towards her gorgeous mentor as she followed after her mentor down the hall towards Minako's office, "What's going on? What did they want?"

"All they said was they were here to pick me up to meet her somewhere," Minako replied with a casual shrug as she went around her desk to turn off her computer.

"Are you sure?," Akko asked anxiously, "I mean, at least you knew the guy that came by last time but these guys you don't even know! How do you know if they're even-"

"Akko-chan, chill out," Minako giggled playfully, interrupting her adorable mentee as she turned to face her, "All this worrying is going to give you white hairs. I'll be fine. She's probably trying to surprise me or something."

Her young mentee pouted in reply, her countenance still plainly showing she didn't approve of any of this and was deeply concerned for her mentor.

"Mou, Akko-chan," Minako cooed playfully as she hugged the smaller woman tightly, "I'll text you later so you know I'm still alive, ok?"

"M-Mmn," Akko nodded as she hugged her mentor in return hesitantly.

Minako released her and made her way out of the office, "Have a good weekend, Akko-chan!" she called over her shoulder.

Akko continued to anxiously watch the gorgeous blonde as she followed her back towards the front of the store. Her amber eyes were trained worriedly on her gorgeous mentor as the older woman gave her keys to the younger man and followed them both to the parking lot where she got into the back of a black Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard. Her frown deepened as she watched the older man get into the driver seat of the Mercedes while the younger got into Minako's white Subaru and started the car. She crossed her arms nervously as they both left the premises with the Subaru following close behind the Mercedes.

* * *

The black Mercedes pulled up to the front of a lavish hotel and as Minako gracefully exited the car once Zurui opened the door for her, she was surprised to see Iwao continue with her Subaru passed them.

"No need to be concerned, Aino-san," Zurui addressed Minako as he shut the door and began walking towards the hotel lobby, answering the puzzled expression on the gorgeous blonde's face as her piercing cobalts followed her vehicle, "Your car will be well taken care of. Please, this way."

"M-Mmn," Minako replied hesitantly as she turned and quickly followed close behind the tall man into the hotel. They continued to the elevators where, once inside, Zurui pressed the button for the fourth floor.

 ** _Wrrrrrr…_**

An uneasy apprehension began gnawing at the back of Minako's mind, but she decided to shrug it off. Though the situation was a touch odd, she continued to consider that perhaps this was just Rei up to some mischief so she continued to go along with it all, trusting the beautiful raven.

 ** _Wrrrrrr…Ding!_**

The elevator doors opened and Minako followed after Zurui as he exited and turned down the hallway until it dead-ended in front of a set of double-doors.

 ** _Shick…Click Click!_**

"Right this way, Aino-san," Zurui said professionally as he returned the key card that he used to open the door to his front pocket. He turned the knob and held it open for Minako to enter the studio suite, "Have a seat and Hino-sama will be will you shortly."

"Oh," Minako said with suprise as she turned around towards the door, "She's not here alr-,"

 ** _Cha-Chunk!_**

The door had shut behind her, cutting her words short and leaving her alone in the room. The gorgeous blonde sighed and having nothing else to do, she took Zurui's advice and went to sit down on a plush, sand-colored couch that had decorative, dark-brown accent pillows. As she sat, she brought her hand up to fiddle with her locket aimlessly as she took in the space.

She was sitting on one of two identical couchnes that were facing each other separated by a dark-brown, rectangular, wooden coffee table. To her right was the entrance she just came in from and to the left was a sizeable window that took up most of the wall space and gave an excellent view of the street and city happenings in front of the hotel. Cream-colored carpeting ran throughout the floor of the space.

In front of her, beyond the other couch, was a massive king-sized bed with sand-colored bedding and pristine white pillows. On the wall behind her was a large flat-screen television and a door to the left, closest to the windows, that led to the bathroom of the suite.

She continued to sit in silence, patiently waiting for the love of her life to arrive.

* * *

"Tadaima," Rei said casually to her empty condo as she entered and locked the door behind her. Once she had put her things away, had a snack, showered, and got dressed in a simple white t-shirt and comfortable dark-red jeans, she pulled out her phone and flipped it open. She pressed a few keys before bringing it up to her ear.

 ** _Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…Click!_**

"H-Hikawa Shrine! How may I help you?," an eager voice answered the phone, taking the beautiful raven by surprise.

"Kumada-san?," Rei responded formally with a touch of puzzlement.

"Oh, Hino-sensi! Hello!," Yuuichirou replied in a friendly tone, "So sorry, Sensei's taking a nap right now. He said he was tired from his trip and working today. I'm still finishing closing up."

"I see," Rei replied politely. Though she felt a touch of concern for her beloved grandfather, she shrugged it off, satisfied with the thought that he was at least resting if he did exert himself too much today, "Would you please leave him a message saying that I called and made it home safely?"

"Oh, sure!," Yuuichirou responded cheerfully, "I'm actually staying for dinner so I'll go ahead and tell him once he wakes up and I'll have him call you right back."

"Thank you," Rei replied formally, "Goodbye, Kumada-san."

"'Bye, Hino-san," she heard Yuuichirou say kindly before he hung up.

Rei brought the phone from her ear and checked the time, 1:18pm. Before she was able to close it and return it to her pocket…

 ** _Beep Beep!_**

The sound of a text message being received came from the small device. She pressed a button, opening the message:

 ** _TENOH HARUKA:_** _FUCKING CALLED IT! =D That's really great, Rei! We're so happy for you! Can't wait to see you love-birds again! ;)_

A bashful smile came to her alluring lips as she read the message from her best friend. She scrolled up just a bit to reveal the message she had sent earlier that day:

 ** _HINO REI:_** _Vision came true. Mina's the one =)_

Her smile widened as she read the words she had typed to her 'sisters'.

Mina was the one. She was her soulmate.

And she was going to see her again in a little but as her shift at work was ending fairly soon. She shut her phone and headed to her bedroom, deciding to pass the time waiting by catching up on some of her mangas.

* * *

 ** _Shick...Click Click!_**

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Aino-san," a low, commanding voice said as the door to the hotel suite opened. The suddenness of the door opening and the male voice interrupting the quiet of the space made Minako jump a bit.

 ** _Cha-Chunk_**

"I have a very busy schedule today so I'm hoping to keep this meeting as brief as possible," the low, commanding voice continued once the door had shut, bringin Minako's attention to the direction of the suite entrance. She was met with the back of a tall figure of a man wearing charcoal jeans and a brown suit-jacket with the edges of a white, button-up collar peaking up from the top. His hair was short, neatly kept, with streaks of white that ran elegantly throughout jet-black strands.

As the man turned to face her, she first registered his piercing, steel-grey eyes, how they had a distinct intensity to them. His darkly, handsome features were not something to go unnoticed either. Both felt…hauntingly familiar for some reason.

And as he approached, coming to sit on the couch across from her, she could feel the blood draining from her face. Those features, the intensity of those eyes...Minako's heart sank as realization began setting in that she had made a grave and terrible mistake in who she thought she was coming to see when she heard the name 'Hino-sama'.

"My name is Hino Takashi," the man said authoritatively as he tossed a stack of manila file folders he was holding onto the coffee table in front of her, causing some of the contents from the top file to spill out onto the table, revealing what looked to be quite a few still photos taken from security camera footage. All of them were of her and Rei together in various situations: having dinner at Himitsu, hand-in-hand heading towards a white jet in a hanger, Rei sitting in her make-up chair as she hovered close just inches above her, Rei pinning her hands up above her head while she had her back up against an elevator wall, them locked in a passionate kiss in front of Rei's door…and these were just the ones that just happened to slip out from the seemingly hefty stack, "And I want to discuss this…issue…between _you_ and _my_ daughter."

* * *

 **Author Note:** Cliffhangers are the worst! =( But here is the official the end of "Act 1" of the story. "Act 2" of this story I think will be shorter in chapters but have a bit more turbulence, travel, lots of character involvements (possibly more jumping around), and overall happenings!

Did anyone remember that small phone conversation Takashi had in Chapter 29 with his Director of Information Technology and Transactions while Rei and Nobuo were leaving the gala? I didn't want to make this a pop-quiz question because I didn't want to give it away.

Why the fourth floor? The number 4 in Japanese is usually considered an unlucky number.

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 04/2017)


	39. Act II: Chapter 39

**Author Note:** Thanks for your patience! There were some difficult emotions I needed to tap into to write this chapter and it was hard finding inspiration to get to that place. So I've been slowly chipping away at it, just trying my best to get at least something written. But an incident happened to me today that shoved me right into where I needed to be emotionally and it all started to come together. Though it wasn't a pleasant experience by any means, at least I can say something good came out of it now so I feel better at least about that. =\

Also, in the A/Ns of Chapter 29, I mentioned the primary language of the characters in this story is Japanese and that I would note when another language would be introduced. Well, this is that moment! Given all the formatting already in this story, even though I think most have been pretty obvious so far, I outlining the main ones at the end of these A/Ns. I hope it helps!

I want to especially thank author **Victoria G** for giving me permission to use the same formatting style to distinguish between languages that she used in her story "The Messiness of Life". I strongly recommend following her and reading all her stories on this site as she is an excellent writer and story-teller. Her stories were the reason I even started to write and post at all!

 ** **600,000 yen** = approximately 5,283.60 US dollars**

 **Rezu** = [Japanese] slang for 'dyke'

 _Chapter 38 Pop-Quiz Answers:_

 _1_ \- In Chapter 10, when Mamoru met Rei, where did he say he met Usagi?

 _ **Her father's company (Hino Sporting Enterprise)**_

 _2 -_ In Chapter 21, what disclaimer signs appeared periodically along the fence of the fleet management facility Rei takes Minako to?

 ** _'Private Property' and 'Security Camera' disclaimers._**

3 - In Chapter 29, what did Nobuo say he _didn't do_ when he was checking if Minako found her phone at the Laundromat?

 _ **Actually** **hacking** **into the Laundromat's security camera system to see if she indeed found her phone after it died.**_

 _4_ \- In Chapter 30, when Rei slammed her fist onto the top of the car while she was angry about her father, what did she say?

 _ **"What** **more** **could he** **possibly** **take away from me!?"**_

I don't own Sailor Moon, and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

The hospital ' Tokyo Sentora Hospital' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

FORMATTING NOTES:

Regular formatting = Narration

 ** _Bold Italicized_** = Sounds

 ** _\- Dashes and Bold Italicized -_** = Songs

 _Italicized word or phrase_ (or) _Underlined italicized word or phrase_ = Narrative emphasis

 _Italicized sentences_ = Internal thoughts of a character. Language doesn't matter.

 _Italicized paragraphs with "italicized quotes" and_ non-italicized words or phrases= Flashbacks with dialogue or internal thoughts of a character.

"Quotations and Regular formatting" = Speaking in Japanese

" ** _Quotations and Bold Italicized formatting_** " = Speaking in English

Now, let's start Act II the same way we started Act I, Chapter 1!

* * *

 **Chapter 39:**

The soft sounds of a bustling city served as quiet background noise in a lavish hotel studio suite and filled the heavy silence within its interior. That is, until the sounds of a melodic voice broke the monotony.

"…H-How," Minako whispered softly. Her voice trembled slightly as she tried to find it through her stunned silence. Her mind was struggling to process her situation as she stared at the candid photos that made their way onto the dark-brown coffee table, "H-How did you-"

"Technology's really something, isn't it, Aino-san," Takashi's low, commanding voice caused the rhetorical question to come out as more of a statement as he cut in authoritatively on Minako's attempt to verbalize her thoughts. He leaned forward and flipped open the top manila folder, revealing hundreds of still, surveillance photos in various sizes within. All of them containing Minako and Rei together as the main subjects in various locations, "In Tokyo alone, the average person with even just a _part-time_ job is photographed by over 150 digital surveillance cameras a day in stores, restaurants, hotels, parking garages, traffic, etcetera," he stated matter-of-factly. He pulled the folder up, emptying its contents onto the table between them, causing the photos to slide haphazardly across its top, before he casually tossed it onto the seat next to him, "All you need is a computer, a little know-how, and you can track anyone in the world by simply hacking into those systems."

He picked up one of the photos closest to him, his harsh eyes examining it briefly, "Or you just hire the best computer engineer in the country to run your I.T. security division," he said off-handedly before clicking his tongue disapprovingly, shaking his head slightly as he tossed the photo back onto the pile.

He looked up and brought his attention back to the young blonde before him who continued to stare at the photos on the table silently, taken aback by the overwhelming evidence laid out before her that so openly displaying the nature of her relationship with his daughter. His steel-greys narrowed slightly as they eyed her critically, as if trying to decipher exactly what it was about this lackluster woman, this…cosmetics girl…that managed to drive his only daughter to utter distraction.

Coming up empty, he let out a quiet sigh as he leaned back into the couch. He brought his left elbow up to rest over the backrest behind him, "Look, Aino-san, I'm a very busy man and there are two things in this world that should _never_ be wasted. One is time and the other is money." He brought his wrist up to look at his watch impatiently, "And you alone have already managed to cost me and my daughter a significant amount of _both_ and I absolutely cannot afford to waste any more of either on you than I need to."

"Then what do you want from me?," Minako asked quietly in a resigned tone as she brought her piercing sapphire eyes that reflected a mix of defeat and acceptance up towards the older man before her. She had come to terms with the gravity of her situation once she realized the position she was in. There was no other option for her but to meet this man head-on and understand exactly what his intentions were with her. He was a man of business after all, why go through the trouble of bringing her here if not to do just that?

Takashi allowed his arm to relax as he brought his attention back to the young blonde, cocking his eyebrow slightly, "I believe that's _my_ line, Aino-san."

The slightly perplexed look he received from the young blonde in response caused him to clear his throat in subtle annoyance, "Just tell me what kind of damage I'm looking at here so we can all be done with this and move on," he responded.

When he was met with only a deeper look of continued confusion from the make-up artist, he subtly rolled his eyes,"Oh, come now, Aino-san," he groaned, "You may have done an _exceptional_ job of fooling my young, naïve daughter with all of this… _nonsense_ ," he said as he waved with his hand dismissively at the table towards the photos, "But _certainly_ not me. So let's just cut to the chase: Is 600,000 yen enough for you to end this charade of yours?"

Minako's eyes slowly began growing wide as Takashi's words sank in and she began comprehending what he was insinuating, "Oh my Gods," she whispered in utter shock, "You…You think that this…that this is all…for _money_?," she managed to sputter, disgust seeping into her tone once she had found her voice.

"Or a sorry attempt at 15 minutes of fame," Takashi replied plainly with a shrug as if it were the most obvious conclusion in the world, "Why else? I mean, you can't _possibly_ be serious about _any_ of this," he chuckled condescendingly as if the thought itself was ridiculously humorous. He reached into his jacket, "My daughter has a role to play in our family business and she needs to remain focused. And since your antics have become a distraction for her, I simply cannot allow it or have you potentially use it as a means to scandalize the future of the company. So I'd much rather settle this quickly and all at once with a lump sum than have it drag on for however long you were originally intending on manipulating her for your own personal gain."

Minako was stunned speechless due to a mix of disbelief and offense from the conclusion the businessman before her had deduced regarding her relationship with Rei. She continued to watch the older man as he pulled a small slip of folded paper from his jacket pocket, her wary cobalts followed his movements as he leaned forward and tossed it onto the pile of photos, where it landed right in front of her, "So, there's your money. Take it and go," he said with a bit of finality in his voice.

Takashi leaned back into the couch as he watched the young blonde's attention go to the check on the table. Her head was tilted down just slightly, her bangs shielding her face as she reached out hesitantly and picked it up. As she unfolded it carefully and brought it up to her face to examine it closer, a satisfied smirk slowly made its way to his lips, pleased with the fact that this meeting was now more or less over faster than he had anticipated.

After another moment of silence, he took it as a sign of acceptance from the young blonde and stood up, "I expect you to _never_ come in contact with my daughter again from this day forward," he finished firmly in his commanding tone and he buttoned his suit-jacket, "My men will escort you out."

* * *

He nodded in her direction quickly as a gesture of departure before turning towards the door, ready to head to his next commitment, already planning the rest of his day, when...

"Go fuck yourself," the soft, melodic statement broke Takashi's train of though and caused the businessman to stop abruptly in his tracks.

His eyes narrowed as he turned his authoritative gaze slowly back to the young blonde who appeared to not have moved since he last regarded her, "Excuse me?," he challenged in his low, commanding tone as he stared down the image of the young woman before him, daring her to repeat herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Minako replied in an over-exaggeratedly apologetic tone. As the young blonde tilted her head up to meet Takashi's condescending gaze, he noted how her once azure-colored eyes had now taken on a midnight-blue shade, how they were narrowed at him defiantly as she sat up taller to address him, "I said, 'Go fuck yourself,' you condescending, self-absorbed, sociopathic, sorry excuse of a human being," Her words were dripping with venom as she spat them through gritted teeth, her clenched hands shook with rage, crinkling the check she was holding, as she met his intensely critical eyes with her own deadly gaze.

* * *

Minako was seething as she glared at the older man before her whose hardened countenance was expressionless, save those narrowed eyes that still regarded her patronizingly. Gods, every possible moment she had with Rei outside of each other's respective living spaces was staring back at her in the form of still-photos that littered the table before her.

She felt violated. The thought of Takashi being able to spy on her…on Rei…without their knowledge…made every inch of her skin crawl.

It was bad enough that he was able find and summon her in this manner, virtually trapping her here with no escape in order to present them to her. But to accuse her of being a gold-digging hustler, trying to pay her off to stay away from Rei...

6,000 yen!? 'Disgust', 'Outrage', 'Appall'...there were no words in the entire Japanese language, or _any_ language for that matter, that could describe how she felt about having money so casually thrown at her as if it could in any way amount to the depth and meaning to what she and Rei had...what they had both worked so hard to build together...what they had gone through in themselves and with each other to get to where they were now.

To top it all off, to do all of this seemingly for the sake of his _fucking_ company and to assert his control over Rei's life!? All theses things sparked an unprecedented, volatile rage from deep within her towards the loathsome being standing before her.

And she was _not_ going to let him get away with it without a fight.

* * *

The older businessman eyed his opponent analytically before a small, amused smirk slowly began to pull at his lips. He was pleasantly surprised by the young blonde's sudden brazen response.

So _this_ is what his daughter saw in this seemingly lackluster child. No wonder she was able to keep his daughter's attention for more than just a few minutes.

But, nevertheless, she was still a child. And children needed to know their place.

* * *

"Listen, Aino-san-," he began.

"No, _you_ listen, you sick fuck," Minako said icily as she cut in. She stood up, ripping the check into pieces, "First of all, I don't _want_ your _fucking_ money!," she hissed as she forcefully threw the shards in the businessman's direction, the tiny scraps fluttering delicately down on to the low coffee table separating them and landing haphazardly onto the photos, "And here's what's _really_ going to happen: Your men are going to return my car and I'm going to go home and pretend that none of this ever happened. And _I_ expect _you_ to _never_ come in contact with _me_ or _Reiko_ again from this day forward," she said firmly, using Takashi's words against him, "In return, I won't go to the police and report your twisted ass for stalking us and keeping me here against my will. I'm sure _the press_ would have a field-day with _that_ information going public!"

The smirk on Takashi's face slipped into a subtle grimace. His steel-greys widened slightly and he bristled in response to the insolent young woman's words. His change in demeanor wasn't because of the threats or the insults that were hurled in his direction or the bold resistance the make-up artist was putting up…

…but because of the name she used for his only daughter.

* * *

He pursed his lips into a thin line as he took a deep, audible breath through his nose, "So you… _actually_ have feelings for her then," he stated lowly in his commanding tone.

"I'm in love with her," Minako replied without hesitation, nodding firmly in affirmation to emphasize her statement, "I never knew that my whole life I've just been…waiting…hoping for her to find me. And she did. She's my everything. And now that I know what it's like to love and be loved by her, I'm sure as _fuck_ not going to give her up _that_ easily," she followed-up confidently, sensing that perhaps she was beginning to get through to the contemptuous man before her.

After a brief moment of silence, she took it as a sign that the businessman had conceded to her demands and had nothing left to counter with, "So now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way," she stated dryly as she began making her way towards the double-doors of the suite.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Takashi stated simply in response, a hint of warning coloring the edges of his words as Minako reached the doors.

"Watch me," Minako replied in almost a defiant growl as she reached out and grabbed handle of the door. She turned it and was about to pull it open when…

"How's your twin, Tsukino-san?," the nonchalant question made Minako stop dead in her tracks, her hand frozen on the turned handle of the door.

* * *

Outside of those closest to them and the friends they grew up with, few to no one else even knew that Usagi _had_ a sister, let alone a twin. They kept it that way on purpose due to their mutual protectiveness of each other's privacy given they were the only family members in exitence to each other and Usagi's rise to fame and her adoring, but sometimes aggressive, fans. Even Usagi's agency complied with this request, given it was really the only one Usagi had as a condition to her contract. In addition, because of the type of people Usagi and Minako were, their friends were staunchly respectful of this decision and upheld her and Usagi's hidden relations from public knowledge.

With all of that, to say Takashi's simple words took Minako by surprise would be a gross understatement.

* * *

Takashi casually brushed the front of his jacket with his hand, mentally noting the reaction he got in response to his off-handed question, how it managed to get the willful young woman's attention.

He realized now that he had been overly optimistic in setting up this meeting, assuming the situation would just be a simple fix, practically an open-and-shut case. It quickly became crystal clear from their brief conversation that the situation was _far worse_ than he had originally anticipated. It was a simple mistake on his part, but a mistake nonetheless.

But, being the successful businessman that he was, he of course came prepared for such a potential scenario. And it was time to end this.

* * *

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but you seemed to have left me with no choice," Takashi stated simply as he bent down and shuffled some of the photos out of the way. He pulled another manila folder out from underneath them that was perhaps a half an inch or so thick with documents, "Did you know Kobayashi-san used to be part of the Tokushu Sakusen Gun? Most of his work with them is classified, but one if his many specialities was espionage and counter-intelligence."

Minako slowly turned her head to bring her suspicious cobalts back to the older man behind her, who seemed unnervingly casual given their situation. She was unsure as to where he was going with his statements as it related to her and her sister.

"Aino Usagi and Aino Minako," the businessman read aloud once he flipped open the folder, "Twin girls, ages 21. Born on October 22nd at Tokyo Sentora Hospital to Aino Sachiko, née Tsukino-"

"What is that?," Minako asked lowly, her melodic tone heavy with skepticism.

"Your background check," Takashi noted informally, as if he were merely commenting on the weather, his attention still on the pages within the folder in his hands, "Kobayashi-san is _very_ good at his job. He's _quite_ thorough," he stated with feigned subtle astonishment.

"He told me he doesn't keep files," Minako replied, her voice still skeptical but with the original sharpness gone as doubt began creeping into her consciousness that perhaps this wasn't just a bluff.

"No, of course he doesn't," Takashi scoffed as he shook his head, confirming Minako's statement as if anything contrary to it would be preposterous, "The man's a walking database. Once he gets new information, it's stuck in that mind of his for good. And he's also very good at covering his tracks. I supposed that comes from all the training he's done." He balanced the opened file in his right hand as he reached down to the table again with his left to grab another folder from under the pictures, this one triple the size of the first, "It actually took longer than I expected my I.T. Director to re-trace all of his research, but _she's_ also very good at _her_ job."

He laid the new folder on top of Minako's file and opened it, "This one has information on quite a few of your social associations: friends, past lovers, even family. I could read about all of them to you, but the one I find most interesting is your sister's and Chiba-san's relationship."

He made a show of flipping casually through the pages within, "I never knew they both started their careers doing contract work with our Marketing department. Did you know Chiba-san lied about his age when he signed with his modeling agency? His hiring paperwork said he was 18 years old, but he had just turned 17 when he met your sister doing print work for us. Given your birthdays, I'd say she was about…19, right?"

He closed the file and began drumming his fingers softly on the cover as he thought, "Now, if I remember correctly, both the Corruption of Minors statute and the Obscenity statute in Tokyo have an age minimum of 18 years old. And the statute of limitations to report such crimes is-"

"I'm listening," the quiet, melodic words caused Takashi to finally bring his intense, steel-grey gaze up to meet the young blonde's cobalts that so clearly displayed both defeat and panic. He could tell by her lack of surprise from the information he was sharing that she knew all of this already…and that she understood what he was prepared to do if she did not comply.

"Good," Takashi replied with a soft nod, satisfied that he had managed to get the spirited young woman's attention, "Aino-san, you asked me when we started what I wanted from you," he looked back down to the table and placed the folders he had in his hands back on it and grabbed the final manila folder he had brought from under the photos.

"It was no small matter having to obtain all of this footage of you and my daughter together in public and having to pay for peoples' silence on the subject," he continued as he brushed the cover of the folder lightly with his hands as if he were dusting it off, "Especially with one _exceedingly_ aggravating young waiter from Himitsu who happened to be a _very_ big fan of my daughter," he groaned in irritation under his breath. He held the folder out to the blonde make-up artist, returning his intense, unreadable gaze back to the very person who was the source of his problems, "What I want is to put an end to it all right now. I want you to disappear."

Minako eyed the non-descript folder warily, as if some unknown horrors would suddenly manifest from it to attack her, before she released the door handle and made her way towards the older man, carefully reached out and taking the proffered item from him. Slowly, she turned the folder so that it faced her and opened it. Inside was a thick stack of papers that, upon cursory review, seemed full of legal jargon.

"You'll be more than well compensated for your troubles, of course," Takashi continued as he slid his hands into his pockets casually, "It's all outlined in there."

"…What," Minako stated absently, her brow furrowing as she quickly flipped through a couple of the pages. She was finding it difficult to comprehend exactly what she was looking at in relation to what Takashi was telling her. What she _did_ notice were a few prevelant words within the document that consistently appeared throughout: Shacho, Make-up Artist, Athlete, relocate, compensation, and…termination, "What… _is_ this exactly?"

"It's a…formal arrangement, if you will," Takashi stated simply with a shrug.

"…A contract," Minako whispered in realization.

"In not so many words, yes," Takashi nodded in confirmation. Minako heart sank. She felt as if the wind had been knocked right out of her. Was this _really_ happening? This couldn't _possibly_ be real, right?

Takashi checked his watch impatiently again, "Under normal circumstances, I would allow enough time as a courtesy for the agreeing party to go over the details. But, given my schedule for today, I'll summarize the bottom line for you: You are to end all associations with my daughter and I will relocate you so that you are no longer a distraction for her. That way, she can begin focusing on preparing to take over as Shacho for Hino Sporting Enterprise." He leaned down and tapped lightly on the folder that contained information on her sister, "In return, all of this information we've found on each and every one of the people you care about, especially the evidence of your sister and Chiba-san's relationship, will be buried so deep no one will ever find it."

"Why are you doing this?," Minako whispered softly, her melodic voice heavy with despair, "Is this all a game to you?"

"I don't play games, Aino-san," Takashi replied matter-of-factly, "I've built this company from scratch and I've been at this for quite some time. My daughter is the future leader of one of the biggest companies in Japan. It's cutthroat enough already as it is being a man in such a position, I can't tell you how _ruthless_ it is for a _woman_."

He pulled his hands out from his pockets and looked down as he began fiddling with an elegant fountain pen between his fingers, "Especially the media. As you've said, they'll jump at anything scandalous they can find and pull the company name in with it. So being a woman _and_ a _rezu_?," he cringed slightly, "Those in itself would be bad enough just on their own."

He brought his attention back up to the young woman before him, who was still looking down at the contract in her hands, but he could tell was intently listening to what he was saying. He began approaching her slowly, "But with you?," He shook his head disapprovingly, "The media would drag Hino Sporting Enterprise through the mud because of you. And my daughter would be taken along for the ride, dragged over the coals, going down with the ship, and I will _not_ have that."

He stopped once he was in front of the young woman and uncapped the pen, "She may despise me but, right now, of the two of us, I'm the one who seems to actually be looking out for her well-being." He held the pen out towards Minako, within her line of sight above the contract, "Even if I _didn't_ have information on your sister, think about it, would you allow all of that to happen to her?," he challenged quietly.

Silence fell between the two as they stood before each other. After a moment, he watched as the young make-up artist brought a shaking hand up to take the pen. Silently, almost hesitantly, she brought it down to the signature line at the bottom of the page…

…where she carefully signed her name.

* * *

"It seems you love her after all," Takashi said softly as if it were merely a passing thought as he took the pen and folder back from Minako, who continued to remain silent and frozen in place, save her shoulders which now appeared slumped and her arms hanging loosely by her sides once the items were taken from her.

"Honestly, Aino-san, 36 different lovers in a span of 5 years?," He continued as he turned back to the table and collected the other folders in his hands. Afterwards, he began sifting through the photos, "You seem like a smart girl. You didn't really think that this would last given your record, right?"

Once he had found what he was looking for, he picked up one of the photos and went back to Minako, holding it out to her, "I mean, what does a simple shop girl have in common with the future Shacho of a multi-million yen corporation?"

He waited until a shaking hand came up to gently take the photo before heading to the door and knocking on it twice, "The stipulations of the contract start immediately so I'll brief my men on the exact parameters of enacting it and they will carry out my instructions. I would have personally seen to all the necessary arrangements for the entire process myself, but unfortunately I'm already late to my next appointment."

The door opened and Zurui entered the space. The conversation he had with Takashi went unheard as Minako slowly brought the photo in her hands up to look at it. In it was a picture of Rei sitting across from her at Himitsu. The angle of the photo seeming to be coming from behind and above Minako, probably from a security camera in the ceiling of the restaurant so it only got the back of her head. But it gave a full-view of Rei's elegant image in her satin evening dress and her beautiful face as she sat across from her, smiling sincerely in that sweet way she always did when it came to Minako, those unique, intense lavenders looking attentively towards her. It was an amazingly perfect candid photo of Rei, to be honest...

…until the image became blurry and was further distorted by small droplets of water landing on it from Minako's heartbroken sapphires.

* * *

The sudden sound of a sweet voice taking a sharp intake of breath, urgently gasping for air, disrupted the silence in a dark room. This was paired with the silhouette of a figure shooting to a sitting position, the shadow cast by the faint luminescence from the golden hues of the Eiffel Tower just a mile away from the open windows.

 ** _…_** ** _click!_**

"Mmmmm!," a husky voice groaning irritatingly under silky bedsheets followed the sound of a side lamp being turned on, suddenly flooding the room with its harsh light.

"Get up. Now," the sweet voice commanded a bit distantly with subtle urgency as its owner rolled out of bed and immediately gathered suitcases, "We need to go home."

"Wh-What?," a befuddled, husky voice vocalized as its owner brought an arm up to remove the covers, revealing short, sandy-blonde hair, heart-breakingly handsome features, and eyelids that were beginning to squint open from sleep and revealed dark-blue orbs, "Gods, Michiru, what time is it?," Haruka asked hoarsely as she brought a hand up to rub her eyes.

"Quite possibly too late," Michiru replied absently with deep worry as she finished changing out of her sleep clothes. She was rushing around the hotel room collecting clothes and personal items together, throwing them quickly into their suitcases as if possessed, "Fate is taking shape. Kami-sama, there's too much," The elegant woman spoke in riddles quietly as if she were talking to herself with a touch of panic.

"Honey," the racecar driver called soothingly to her wife as she groggily brought herself up to a sitting position in the bed, "Honey, slow down. You're not making any sense."

"We don't have much time, Haruka," Michiru responded matter-of-factly as she paused for a moment to address her puzzled wife. Her eyes were distant as she spoke, "Things are happening at this very moment. Decisions are being made, taking place as we speak." She brought her gaze to the floor, her brow knitting delicately together as she brought a hand up to rest on her chest. It was only then that Haruka noticed that her elegant wife was shaking slightly. Her full attention was on Michiru now, fully awake and taking in her troubled demeanor. Knowing how strong and accurate her intuition was, it was always wise to heed Michiru's advice.

"It's overwhelming," the elegant woman continued quietly, "I can feel it. Events all converging together like a perfect storm. It's going to hit soon and it's going to hit hard." She brought her deeply worried gaze up to the handsome racecar driver, "I have to…no…I _need_ to be there for her when it does."

"'Her"?," Haruka asked with concern and a bit of confusion

"Our sister," Michiru whispered quietly, her distraught eyes now glistening with the hint of tears that were beginning to form.

The simple words caused Haruka to jump into action, reaching for her phone. She flipped it open, pushed a few buttons, and brought it to her ear,

" ** _I need to charter a plane_** ," she said in English with only a slight Japanese accent once someone answered her call, " ** _Tonight…Yes, as soon as possible…Thank you._** "

She brought the device from her ear and shut it quickly as she got out of bed and began getting dressed.

"And you're sure you're ok to fly?," Michiru asked with concern given the late hour as she continuing to pack their things.

"For Rei, I can do anything," Haruka replied as she pulled a clean shirt over her head.

It didn't take long for the two women to gather their belongings and check out of the hotel they were residing in. They made it to the airport quickly and loaded the jet they had chartered to fly back to Japan. As the jet took off from the runway with the Paris nightscape and its various lights dotting the ground below them, Michiru gracefully, though anxiously, sat in the passenger seat, silently praying to Kami-sama that the wind would be in their favor and help to carry them swiftly back home…

…as she silently struggled to fight her intuition as it whispered to her that it may very well already be too late.

* * *

 **Author Note:** Hang on to your hats, everyone, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Lots of minor details you probably didn't even notice in previous chapters are coming back up.

I know Chapter 37 would have made for a much better, cleaner, more satisfying break between Act I and Act II of this story...but that would have been too easy! ;) I like having the dissonance between the two acts. I wanted to end Act I where you knew there'd be more juicy things to come and Chapter 37 wouldn't have elicited that same visceral reaction I wanted for the end of Act I. I hope that makes sense.

 _Fun Fact:_ From the research I did, the age of consent is actually 13 in Japan. But local "corruption of minors" or "obscenity statutes" can raise the de-facto age of consent. So, in Tokyo specifically, the effective age of consent by local statute is actually 18. This detail really came in handy for this chapter. Also, the stats Takashi mentions about surveillance cameras in Japan are real as of 2014!

Age of Consent in Japan. (2017). In _Age of Consent & Sexual Abuse Laws Around the World ._ Retrieved October 27, 2017, from world/japan (Type "Japan Age of Consent & Statutory Rape Laws" into your search engine and it should be the first link.)

Hoffman, M. (2014, A). Tokyo's robotic eyes are everywhere. _The Japan Times_ , Retrieved from . /news/2014/08/30/national/media-national/tokyos-robotic-eyes-everywhere/#.WfagH4hrzIU (Type "Tokyo's robotic eyes are everywhere, Japan Times" into your search engine and it should be the first link.)

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 10/2017)


	40. Chapter 40

**Author Note:** I mentioned before in the A/Ns that a version of the condo scene in Chapters 5 through 8 was what started this whole story.

But this chapter was the very first chapter I ever wrote down for this story back in 2013. I'm so excited that it's finally being published after all these years! Though some small details have changed in the story from my original vision, about 90 percent of the dialogue in this chapter is the original stuff I wrote way back when and I've just been sitting on it, working my way from Chapter 1 to now where I can finally bring it in! It's not necessarily a fun chapter to read by any means, but nevertheless I hope you enjoy.

I don't own Sailor Moon, X, or any songs and have tried to the best of my ability to site my references.

Takeuchi, N. (1991). _Sailor Moon_. Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha Ltd.

Ikeguchi, K., Iwase, Y., Kadokawa, T., Kokoyama, K., and Maruyama, M. (Producers), & Rintaro (Director). (1996). _X_ [Motion picture]. Japan: Bandai Visual Company.

Galoyan, S., Kierszenbaum, M., Polienko, V., and Shapovalov, I. (2003). _30 Minutes_ [Recorded by t.A.T.u.]. On 200 km/h In The Wrong Lane [CD], Santa Monica, California: Universal Music Group.

Scannell, M. (2000). _Everything You Want_ [Recorded by Vertical Horizon]. On Everything You Want [CD], New York, New York: RCA Records

Bareilles, S. (2007). _Gravity_ [Recorded by Sara Bareilles]. On Little Voice [CD], New York, New York: Epic Records.

Swift, T. (2010). _Haunted_ [Recorded by Taylor Swift], on Speak Now [CD], Nashville, Tennessee: Big Machine Records.

Gordy, S.K., Jepsen, C., and Koma, M. (2012). _More Than A Memory_ [Recorded by Carly Rae Jepsen], Vancouver, Canada and Santa Monica, California: 604 Records and School Boy Records and Interscope Records.

Caillat, C. and Reeves, J. (2009). _Droplets_ [Recorded by Colbie Caillat]. On Breakthrough [CD], New York, New York: Republic Records.

Rose, L. and Swift, T. (2011). _All Too Well_ [Recorded by Taylor Swift]. On Red [CD], Nashville, Tennessee: Big Machine Records.

Mercedes-Benz is a division of, and belongs to, the Daimler AG Corporation (cited June, 2015). The brand is used merely as a descriptor for this fiction piece.

The condo complex 'Incendia' that appears in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real businesses, existing or defunct, is purely coincidental.

* * *

 **Chapter 40:**

 ** _\- Out of sight, out of mind. Out of time to decide. Do we run? Should I hide for the rest of my life? Can we fly? Do I stay? We could lose. We could fail in the moment it takes to make plans or mistakes. 30 minutes, the blink of an eye. 30 minutes to alter our lives. 30 minutes to make up my mind. 30 minutes to finally decide. 30 minutes to whisper your name. 30 minutes to shoulder the blame. 30 minutes of bliss, 30 lies. 30 minutes to finally decide. -_**

The slow, haunting song that played softly over the speakers of a black Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard fill the space of the cabin as a distraught, gorgeous blonde rode silently in the back. Glassy cobalt orbs absently stared out the window as the cityscape outside passed by, replaying events that happened only just a bit ago.

* * *

 _"_ _My men will take care of your personal affects and other arrangements as outlined in the contract regarding your relocation," Takashi explained quickly once he had finished briefing Zurui, who was now on the phone, busy making arrangements for this new assignment, "In the meantime, once Hamada-san is off the phone, he'll take you to my daughter's residence so you can terminate things officially with her."_

 _Minako's head shot up in response, her tear-stained countenance reflecting that of shock, "You…You want me to…," she whispered hesitantly, unable to finish._

 _Takashi only responded with a look of puzzlement, "Aino-san, I thought I made the situation perfectly clear: I would relocate you once you ended your associations with my daughter."_

 _"_ _But…," Minako began quietly, her melodic voice wavering, "But why would you need me to-"_

 _"_ _Perhaps you don't know my daughter as well as you think," Takashi stated matter-of-factly in his usual authoritative tone, "She can be exceptionally stubborn…a character flaw she got from me of course," he commented with a hint of amusement coloring his words before he subtly cleared his throat and continued, "If what you said is true, that she has feelings for you, and you were to simply disappear without a word, then she would stop at nothing to try and find you again. So it's imperative that you break things off with her so she will not have a reason to do so. Once that's done, you'll be relocated to prevent any opportunities for your paths to cross. That way, she can focus her attention fully on her obligations to the family business."_

 _Minako was silent as she took in this unexpected twist in her situation. Not only had she been made to choose between her friends and family and the love of her life…_

 _…_ _she was expected to be the very one to break her._

 _"…_ _I," Minako began, her voice cracking as she spoke, mirroring her very heart and how she felt given her situation as she began realizing what she had inevitably agreed to. She began to shake her head, "I can't-"_

 _"_ _You will and you must," Takashi cut in plainly, "Let me paint this picture for you, Aino-san. It's not just because you agreed to it in writing, which you did, nor is it because of the information we've gathered on your friends and family that could be detrimental to their well-being, which we have. But because my daughter is still on contract with me and the company until she takes her rightful place as Shacho. So even if you decided to not agree with your contract and continue on with all of this, with all the information we've found on you and everyone you care about, you would inevitably be the cause of her downfall once word got out about your relationship. How could she become Shacho then of such a infamous company after that? You would be forcing my hand into moving forward with the consequences of_ _her_ _contract then. In other words, you would give me no choice but to do away with Hikawa Shrine and my father-in-law's, her grandfather's, home."_

 _He stepped closer to the young blonde until he was right in front of her, "But even without all of that, really, what kind of a life did you honestly expect to have with her? Given who you are and who she is-"_

 **SLAP!**

 _The sudden sound paired with a force causing his face to turn to the right stopped Takashi's words before he was able to finish. The sting on the left-side of his face lingered as he turned his attention back to the young, volatile make-up artist before him, whose hands were balled into fists by her sides, tears streaming down her cheeks from midnight-blues that were filled with abhorrence directed fiercely towards his being._

 _He nodded formally towards the young woman, "Consider that a personal gift from me to you for your troubles, Aino-san," he said before turning and heading towards the door. Zurui had finished with making necessary arrangements over the phone and held the door open for him, "Brief her on the contract on the way there," he commanded to Zurui as he handed him the files without stopping, "Text me when it's done," he said over his shoulder as he walked out._

 _"_ _Yes, Shacho-sama," Zurui bowed low as Takashi left._

* * *

"Aino-san?...Aino-san, we're here," Minako blinked a few times at the sound of her name being called by Zurui.

Zurui had pulled the car into the parking lot of the Incendia and parked it at the front curb of the building and turned off the engine. Minako looked at the building with dismay. She felt nauseous, absolutely hopeless, but mostly…just…numb.

Zurui subtly cleared his throat as he looked over his should at his solemn passenger, "You understand what you're supposed to do?," he asked gently. The young blonde only nodded her head slowly in response as evidence of acknowledgement of his statement, "And you understand the non-disclosure agreement in the contract that prohibits you from revealing the existence of the contract with Hino-san?," he continued, referring to Rei in the manner all employees of the company were instructed to do, save Nobuo given his duties in relation to Rei. Minako nodded again in response.

"Per the contract, I'm prohibited from reviewing the other files Shacho-sama gave to me," Zurui continued professionally, "Once you complete your obligation, I am to destroy everything in them. If you're unable to complete your obligation, I am required to release any incriminating information I find in the files to the authorities."

He brough his wrist up to look at his watch, "We're on a pretty tight schedule, Aino-san. I'll give you as much time as I can, but it won't be much," he said softly.

"How long?," Minako asked quietly, her melodic tone uncharacteristically monotone.

"The longest I can hold off for is…a little over 35 minutes…starting now," Zurui replied softly, almost apologetically.

Minako couldn't help the mirthless chuckle that bubbled up in response as she shook her head cynically.

35 minutes. It would take about 5 minutes to get to and from Rei's condo in itself, leaving only 30 minutes.

30 minutes…just half an hour…It was inconceivable, almost pitiful, how little time she would have left to be with the love of her life.

30 minutes to say goodbye.

30 minutes to break her heart into countless pieces.

Minako leaned over and buried her face in her hands, shaking her head slightly.

Zurui pursed his lips, his brow furrowing sympathetically at the sight of the young woman so distraught by the daunting task ahead of her that he knew would not be a pleasant one by any measure.

But he also had a job to do.

"Time to go, Aino-san," Zurui urged quietly, "I want you to have as much time as you need."

Minako took a deep, shaky breath before she sat back up, composing herself as best she could, before slowly opening the passenger door, carefully stepping out, and shutting the door behind her as she made her way hesitantly into the building.

* * *

 ** _\- I am everything you want. I am everything you need. I am everything inside of you that you wish you could be. I say all the right things at exactly the right time. But I mean nothing to you and I don't know why. -_**

Rei was busy lounging on her bed, lying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows. She hummed quietly to herself as she casually kicked her feet in time with the song playing through her speaker system, happily enjoying a new manga she had recently purchased. She casually turned to look at the clock she had on her nightstand, 2:07pm. Minako should have gotten of work only just a moment ago and was probably on her way over. She smiled giddily to herself as she brought her attention back to her manga, waited patiently for the love of her life to arrive.

 ** _...knock, knock, knock..._**

Rei jumped at the unfamiliar sound. Actually she knew what the sound was, it just took her by surprise given she hadn't sensed anyone approaching her door. Her intense amethysts narrowed, her brow furrowing as she grabbed the teal, satin hair ribbon she had next to her on the bed that she had secretly pocketed as a keepsake from that night she spent with Minako after Haruka and Michiru's wedding, repurposing it as a makeshift bookmark for her mangas. She placed it neatly within the pages of her manga, closed the book, and returned it to its rightful place in her nightstand before she rolled off the bed and headed cautiously towards the door, ignoring the music that still streamed through the speakers in her condo.

It wasn't until she had stepped within the foyer that her lavender eyes widened at the feather-light familiar sensation that tickled her senses, hinting at who it was just beyond the door. She found herself now rushing to the door, flinging it open quickly with a bit more force than she intended,

"Mina! Wha…," Rei began worriedly with a touch of urgency in her smooth tone before the image of her lover caused her words to die at the back of her throat in shock. The gorgeous blonde appeared absolutely downtrodden, her head down but just visible enough for Rei to tell that she had been crying. And, Kami-sama…her aura…it was so faint Rei could only make out a soft, almost transparent, golden hue…

…that transported her back nearly 18 years to the last time she saw someone she cared for with that same glow.

The beautiful archer was so taken aback that she found herself frozen in place as Minako quietly made her way into her condo, slowly coming to a stop in the middle of her living room.

Rei shook her head slightly, bringing her out of her initial shock, prompting her to shut the door and make her way quickly to the distraught make-up artist, "…Mina?," she asked softly, concern weighing heavily in her tone once she went around and was standing in front of the gorgeous blonde. When she didn't receive a respose, she quickly wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, stroking her silky hair between her fingers gently, "What happened? Are you ok?," she verbalize softly, her tone full of worry.

Her eyes widen as she began to feel a heavy, painful sensation seeping into her. Given her close proximity to Minako, she was able to read her faint aura a bit better. It exuded so much sadness with a hint of…guilt? She also noted there was something else within the faint orange-gold colors. A sort of…conflict…within it. As if it were warring with itself.

 _Kami-sama…so much…pain_ , was all she could comprehend given the intensity of the distraught emotions being emitted from the smaller woman.

* * *

 ** _\- But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone. Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity. Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be. But you're on to me and all over me. -_**

 _She's so warm,_ Minako thought as she closed her eyes, allowing herself to be comforted by the taller woman she had fallen so in love with. Once Takashi had made clear to her what her contract entailed, the consequences if she didn't' comply, and what she was expected to do and why, though Minako detested every word he said…they hit a deep nerve that shook her down to her very core.

And as she rode in the car on the way to Rei's place, replaying the entire event with Rei's father in her mind, his words began eating away at her, feeding into her insecurities.

Minako hated to admit it, but what Takashi said…more specifically about her dragging Rei down…had some valid truth to it. She'd seen enough of what Usagi and Mamoru and even Haruka and Michiru had to deal with when it came to their public image to know how much the media loved scandalous stories. And Minako would have enough fodder in her personal life for them to drudge up and inevitably pull Rei down with her. It was one thing for others to criticize her, she couldn't care less what others thought about her…

…but it was quite another when those criticisms could potentially involve and slander those she cared about, especially those she loved.

She mentally kicked herself. She knew it…she just _knew it_ …that this was all too good to be true. That she should have ended this long ago when she had the chance. Before it got messy, before there could have been any way for her and her fucked up life to hurt or bring harm to Rei. She felt so naïve, so foolish for ignoring her own early doubts and allowing their relationship to get to this point. How could Minako honestly think that she could ever measure up to someone like Rei? How could she, a simple manager of a make-up store, who didn't even know exactly what she wanted to do in life, who couldn't even keep a relationship for any longer than a month and some change…ever think that she could fit within Rei's life? How could she be so stupid in thinking she would ever be able to walk side-by-side with someone like Rei in this lifetime?

She loved Rei, yes. There was no doubt in her soul that she was in love with Rei. Not at all. If anything, along with Takashi's words, it was one of the motivating reasons that caused her to sign the contract.

Because she loved her enough to want to protect her…from herself.

She loved her enough to let her go.

And as she made her way up to Rei's condo, she steeled herself for what she was about to do, practically shutting down emotionally in preparation for how hard she knew this would be. Not just for her own sake, but for Rei's as well. Better to give her a clean break than leave her with any questions or doubts that could lead to festering wounds given her trust issues when it came to her abilities, her physical person, and who she was socially. She wanted to at least give Rei a fighting chance at possibly allowing herself to love someone again…even if it wasn't her. Rei deserved at least that.

But now, after seeing the archer's beautiful face, being held so tightly within her embrace, that initial resolve began to fade.

* * *

 ** _\- Come on, come on, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong, you're all I wanted. -_**

Rei felt the smaller woman stir within her arms. She loosened her hold just enough to allow the gorgeous blonde to lift her head. When her anxious violets were met with those breathtaking sapphires, she could see the heavy despair and bitter strife within them and her heart ached painfully at how much she could feel Minako suffering.

* * *

 ** _\- Are you gonna just stand in front of me pretending I'm not your destiny? I'm not over you. Are you over me? Are we gonna be more than a memory? -_**

Minako's cerulean eyes were met with the taller woman's breathtaking amethyst, she became lost in them. Unconsciously, she reached up with her hand and slid it to the back of Rei's neck, urging her to lean down.

Rei felt more than saw Minako's hand reach up, sliding to the back of her neck to gently pull her closer. Rei found herself complying, her eyelids falling closed as soft lips met her own in a gentle, chaste kiss. Even the kiss was filled with so much sorrow, so much…sadness. Rei wanted nothing more than to ease Minako of her grief.

As Rei held her tighter and began to deepen the kiss, Minako's eyes shot open, _No…No, I have to end this…for Rei._

And as she quickly took a mental note of every detail of Rei's embrace, her warmth, her lips, her vanilla scent, every inch of her body as it pressed up against her own, she could feel her heart beginning to crumble…knowing that this would be the last time.

* * *

 ** _\- I'm leaving you. I'm not sure if that's what I should do. It hurts so bad. I'm wanting you, but can't go back. -_**

The gorgeous blonde ended the kiss gently and Rei slowly opened her worried amethysts as Minako pulled out of her embrace and took a step back, just out of reach.

"I…" Minako began hesitantly. She turned her gaze to the floor, unable to look into Rei's intensely worried, lavender eyes. Her hands balled anxiously into fists at her sides in preparation for what was to come after these next few words, "I can't be with you anymore…I'm sorry." The words came out as barely a whisper but seemed to echo throughout the room in the silence.

* * *

Rei stiffened. Did Minako…really just say what she thought she said? She couldn't believe what she just heard. Her mind went blank with shock and her senses took over.

It felt like time had stopped. She suddenly felt cold…so very cold…almost to the point of shivering. Was she about to pass out?

The silence in the space seemed as if to increase in volume. It was deafening to the point it almost hurt her ears.

She began struggling to breathe, as if the air from the large room had been sucked right out. The silence was now ringing so painfully in her ears it was disorienting. The last time she felt this way was back then…when her beloved grandfather told her her mother had left this world.

"…What?," the word cut through the silence so abruptly that Rei almost didn't recognize that they came out of her own mouth. It helped her come back to herself and she took a breath, realizing that she had stopped breathing during the brief silence that felt like a lifetime.

And that's when she could feel her world crashing down as Minako's words finally sank in.

"M-Mina! Wha-What are you saying!? Why!? Why are you doing this!?," Rei vocalized a little louder than she meant to. Without her permission, the thoughts that were forming in her mind as it began catching up to what was happening were being said out loud as they came to her. Rei felt like she was no longer in control of herself. She didn't recognize the raised voice that was coming from her own mouth. Her mind was racing now, working at lightning speed as if to make up for the brief inactivity that came from Minako's words. Images of their time together flashed before her. Moments of happiness she was beginning to register she might never have again with the stunning blonde who stood before her with her head down, looking as if she had lost the will to live. Her heart begin to race, her body was heating up drastically and she was beginning to experience a low-grade hyperventilating. Somewhere in her mind, it was slowly dawning on her what was happening: she was panicking.

Minako held her breath as she struggled to force her emotions down as best she could, digging her nails into her palms as she tightened her fists, focusing all her energies on keeping her emotions at bay, "It's…It's not you," Minako began, "It's me-"

"ARE YOU _FUCKING_ KIDDING ME!?," Minako flinched at Rei's sudden outburst. "You're _seriously_ going to use _that_ line on me!? How _dare_ you!," Rei was livid. Though she was having a hard time reading Minako and understanding what she was trying to do, she didn't need her abilities to sense that Minako's words were bullshit. And she was surely _not_ going to let the gorgeous blonde get away with any of this _that_ easily, _especially_ with such a cliché line, "Don't give me that shit! Tell me the truth! Why are you running away?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind she could feel tears beginning to form in her violet eyes, threatening to cascade down her cheeks. Given her heightened emotional state, her abilities had significantly diminished and she tried desperately to slow her breathing and calm down in an attempt to regain her focus so she could at least attempt to use them to track Minako's faint aura, which the smaller woman seemed to somehow purposefully be subduing.

"…Is it because you're scared?," Rei's voice cracked as it got softer. Her distraught amethysts went to the floor between them, trying to focus on something solid to ground herself, "Mina, I…I am too. I'm… _terrified_. But I…I love you. Please, Mina, don't…don't do this."

* * *

 _Please, Reiko, don't make this any harder for me to leave than it already is,_ Minako couldn't believe that the most confident and collected person she knew was standing before her, close to tears, pleading with her. Her heart shattered as she listened to Rei's broken tone. She wanted to comfort the taller woman, wanted to step forward and gently wipe the tears from Rei's beautiful face and hold her close, tell her how much she loved her, how it was ripping her apart inside that she was hurting her, and how badly she wish she didn't have to.

 _But that's exactly what would happen if I stay with her,_ Minako's thoughts brought her back to her senses, _If I stay with her, I'll only be hurting her more and I_ _can't_ _do that to her. She deserves so much better than me. I_ _have_ _to let her go._

* * *

As Rei looked up and watched Minako through slightly blurred vision, she was able to calm herself down enough from her emotionally charged state to get a small read on Minako's aura again. She could sense Minako's inner turmoil, but nothing more. She desperately tried to follow the light golden thread of her aura but was unsuccessful in getting any type of other reading from the smaller woman as to why she was trying to break up with her.

It suddenly dawned on her then that, though she had told the gorgeous blonde how she truly felt about her at the shrine last night and even earlier that day just before Minako left to go to work, and though she was confident in her abilities and those warm, orange-gold flames that was Minako aura…the smaller woman had yet to _say_ the words back to her of how she felt about Rei.

She searched Minako's image then, ready to latch on to anything at this point, really, to try and make sense of the situation, "Mina…do you…do you love me?"

* * *

Though Minako was doing her best to keep her feelings hidden from the archer, given Rei's words, she could tell Rei was struggling to read her aura due to how distraught she was now. Rei's question echoed in her mind and she thought of their time together and how she had never felt happier or more complete in her entire life. She knew she would cherish those moments forever, quite possibly until her dying breath.

Fighting back tears that threatened to surface, Minako took a deep breath as she reached deep into herself and summoned all her courage. She was going to have to push Rei away and hard, knowing that it would take more than just her words to convince the beautiful archer. She needed to convince her with her aura as well.

She knew what she had to do and hated herself for it, resenting what she was about to say.

She replayed every time someone she dated asked her to be their girlfriend, wanting her to commit to them, re-living them in her mind, tapping into her deeply-seeded fears of commitment and that innate ability of hers to shut down and go numb in those moments. She gave herself over to the feeling fully, allowing it to overtake her.

Until she felt absolutely nothing at all.

* * *

Rei watched as the smaller woman straightened and brought her clear, sapphires up to look deep into Rei's anxious, lavenders.

"No, I don't," Minako responded coldly.

Rei was stunned. Her eyes narrowed, trying to get a read on Minako's aura. She couldn't sense anything from Minako that contradicted her statement. In fact, she couldn't sense… _anything_ _at all_ from the blonde woman. It was as if Minako had…shut down.

"You're lying," Rei replied softly.

Anyone else would have thought the elegant archer was confident in her statement. But Minako wasn't just anyone and she heard the hesitation in the beautiful woman's tone, saw the way her wary amethysts twitched slightly. She could tell Rei was bluffing and having a hard time reading her aura, which is exactly what she wanted.

She knew she couldn't keep her own façade up for long, already feeling her emotions trying to fight their way to the surface and breach the walls she had contained them in. She needed to capitalize on this moment, _Make a clean break, end it now._

"Am I?" Minako challenged in the same cold tone, "You asked me to tell you the truth, so here it is: When you came in to Kirei that day we met, I was bored and saw a pretty face and thought you'd be a nice fling. And once you told me you were a virgin, I thought it'd be fun to see what you'd be like in bed. I told you before, I didn't want anything serious and I don't do the 'girlfriend' thing and never have. You're really sweet and you had money and I'm sorry I let it go on for longer than I should have because I was just enjoying myself and having some fun. And now that I know you've actually fallen in love with me, I don't want to lead you on anymore. I mean, last night was fun and it's been nice and all, but I don't love you and I'm done now. I just want the both of us to move on."

* * *

For the second time in a matter of minutes, Rei was frozen with shock. She couldn't believe what she had just heard come from Minako's melodic voice that seemed so distant and unfamiliar now.

"Remember what I said about playing with fire?," Minako asked softly, bringing Rei back to her sense.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?," Rei challenged lowly.

"No, this is life," Minako replied matter-of-factly, "People come and go, that's what we do. And it's my time to leave. It's been fun, but I'm done and let's not make it anything more than what it was, ok? I'm sorry."

Rei's instincts were screaming at her, telling her what Minako was saying didn't make sense, that there _had_ to be some logical explanation for what she was doing. Given her years of experience with her abilities and her fame, she was acutely keen on sensing negative auras and knew that if Minako's aura gave off any inklings that matched what she was saying now, Rei would have undoubtedly picked up on it and stayed as far away from her as possible. On the contrary, Minako's aura always warm, kind, caring, ever protective of her and so very sincere.

But Rei's mind began warred with her instincts. Her gaze floated down to the floor as she processed Minako's words, _Was I…Was I so blinded by my feelings that I only saw what I wanted to see? Did I want this to be real_ _so_ _badly that I missed all the warning signs?_

She shook her head slightly, _No, my abilitiles couldn't have been wrong this_ _whole_ _time! Maybe Mina's just…_ _that_ _manipulative? I mean…she really understands how my abilities work…and she has a way of control her emotions in such a way that she's capable of shutting down to the point I can't even sense…_ _anything_ _from her...maybe she…_

Suddenly it hit her. She had seen this before…in that new vision she had at the shrine. The shadowy woman, the unbearable silence, the black emptiness that threatened to overcome her. Was Seika trying to warn her about this? About Minako?

At this last realization, Rei's mind won the battle over her instincts and a dangerous flame began to ignite within her, burning with rage, _Kami-sama, it was all…a_ _lie_ _! How could I…How could I have let this happen!? Fuck, I can't believe I diluted myself into thinking she_ _actually_ _had feelings for me!_ _I gave up…_ _everything_ _for her._

* * *

Minako stared at the raven-haired woman, could see her warring within herself through those distinct, intense amethysts that were now trained on the ground as she thought. She noted how she shook her head slightly and watched as her hands slowly began clenching into tight fists by her sides. Her tall, lithe frame began to shake slightly as her alluring lip began to curl up slightly in a subtly snarl. She could tell that Rei was becoming enraged, and that only meant one thing,

 _She bought it,_ Minako thought sadly to herself. Though the outcome was what she was intending and wanted, it still caused an unparalleled pain to shoot in her chest to see the love of her life in such agony by her own hand, _I'm so sorry, Reiko._

* * *

"Get out," Minako almost didn't recognize Rei's voice. It was low, laced with venom, and carried a deadly edge to it that cut Minako deeply.

Unable to hold her emotions in check anymore, tears began to form in Minako's eyes. She raised her right hand slowly, reaching out towards Rei, "Reiko…I…I'm so sor-," she began softly as she took a step towards Rei.

 ** _SMACK!_**

Minako let out a quiet yelp, startled by the light sting she felt on her hand. Before she could finish her sentence or get closer, Rei's hand had suddenly shot up, abruptly smacking her hand away. The archer slowly lifted her head, revealing intensely narrowed eyes that glared right at Minako. No longer the beautiful amethyst tones that Minako loved to lose herself in, they were now a darker, deadlier shade of indigo. She could almost feel them burning through to her soul.

"Don't. Touch. Me," Rei said in the same tone, this time through clenched teeth. She made her way swiftly with purpose passed the gorgeous blonde and towards the front door, yanking the handle sharply and holding it wide open. "Get. Out."

A single tear fell from Minako's eyes. She absently rubbed her hand where Rei had swatted her…the same hand the archer had kissed so sweetly when they first met that fateful night at Kirei.

With the weight of the world squarely on her shoulders, she walked solemly towards the door and out into the hallway. Once she had barely crossed the threshold, the door slammed violently behind her. Though muffled by the door, she heard an enraged cry, followed by loud sobbing, the sounds of a broken woman and a destroyed heart.

 _Goodbye…my love,_ Minako thought as she stood numbly in the quiet hallway.

 ** _...rrrrrrr…_**

A soft, humming sound coming from above her and to the right caught her attention. She turned towards the sound and saw a small, security camera up in the ceiling tucked away in the far corner of the hallway. From any other angle, it would appear as though the security camera were aimed generally down the hallway, assumingly for security purposes. But, from where Minako was standing, she could absolutely see that its lens was trained directly on her and the door of the condo she had just come out of, its blinking red light signaling it was on and live.

Rei's audible sobs, the camera trained directly on her, Minako couldn't take it anymore. She dashed down the hallway, down the stairwell, and out the front door as fast as she could. In one swift motion, she opened the back, passenger door of the black Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard and threw herself in the car.

And as Zurui started the car and pulled away from the curb, Minako curled up into herself as tightly as she could and sobbed loudly, mourning the love of a lifetime.

* * *

 ** _Beep Beep!_**

The sound of a text message being received caught the attention of a certain tall, darkly handsome businessman sitting at an ornate, wooden office desk in a high-rise corporate building. He pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and flipped it open:

 ** _HAMADA ZURUI:_** _It's done._

Takashi pursed his lips as he began typing a few keys:

 ** _HINO TAKASHI:_** _Good, destroy the files then._

He pressed a button and the sound of a sent text came from his phone. Once he finished, he pressed a button and brought the phone to his ear.

 ** _Brrrrrrrp…Brrrrrrrp…Click!_**

"Good afternoon, Shacho-sama," Satsuki answered professionally, "How may I assist you?"

"Afternoon, Yatōji-san," Takashi replied, "Delete all the information you've uncovered on the F.S. account from our servers now. And do everything necessary to eliminate or block anyone's ability to search for or recover any of the information you've found."

"Yes, Shacho-sama," Satsuki replied obediently on the other line. The sound of computer keys drummed in the background, "Would you like me to cease surveillance monitoring as well?"

"Yes, we won't be needing that anymore," Takashi responded.

"Terminating surveillance now," Satsuki replied as the computer keys continued to rattle in the background again, "Anything else, sir?"

"No, that will be all, thank you," Takashi said before he shut his phone and returned it to his jacket pocket. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, his steel-grey gaze going the ceiling as he let out a heavy sigh. After a moment, he turned his attention to the top-right drawer of his desk. He leaned over, pulled it open, and reached in to pull out a crumpled sheet of paper, yellowed and worn from age. On it was a drawing in crayon of three stick-figures towards the left and middle of the page, each with different colored squiggly crayon lines around their bodies, and a rudimentary airplane on the top-right of the page.

 ** _Booooop!_**

"Shacho-sama," a young, male voice interrupted the silence in a professional tone over the intercom, "Your next appointment has just arrived. They're getting settled in the main conference room."

"Mmn, I'm heading there now. Thank you," Takashi responded absently. After a moment, he carefully returned the drawing back into its drawer and shut it softly with care before getting up and heading quickly to his next meeting.

* * *

 ** _\- Hey, you call me up again just to break me like a promise. So casually cruel in the name of being honest. I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here… -_**

The solemn song that filled the space in Rei's condo went unheard as she stared blankly ahead of her, slumped on the floor, with her back leaning against the front door. After what seemed like hours, Rei had finally cried herself out. She felt exhausted, every part of her body felt heavy.

After slamming the door on Minako, she collapsed to the floor and sobbed. She cried tears of anger for allowing someone to take advantage of her so completely. She cried tears of shame for not being able to sense Minako's manipulative nature and falling in love with her. She cried tears of hurt for being used in so many ways.

But most of all, she cried tears of loss. Minako _was_ her first after all. Her first kiss, first date, first sexual partner, first love…

And the first cut is always the deepest.

She cried knowing that she would never have those moments again. And somewhere, deep inside of her, though she couldn't readily admit to it now, she also mourned the fact that she would never have those moments _with Minako_ again. That the embrace and kiss they shared only moments before her heart was broken so violently by the blonde make-up artist was their last.

 _What do I do now?,_ was the first conscious thought Rei had. It echoed in the silence of her mind, unanswered. She felt as though she didn't know much of anything anymore. The only thing she was very aware of now was that she felt…empty.

 ** _Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!...Ba da da Ba da da Ba da da da!..._**

The sudden sound of her cellphone ringing startled her out of her stupefied state. She reached into her pocket and pulled the device out of her pocket. Once she saw who it was, she quickly composed herself, clearing her throat so as to sound as normal as possible when she answered, and flipped it open,

"Hi, Grandpa," Rei said warmly with only a touch of raspiness in her voice from crying, "How was-"

"Hino-sensei, it me," a young man's voice responded solemnly, interrupting Rei's words.

"…Kumada-san?," Rei replied in a perplexed tone, not expecting to hear Yuuichirou's voice when she picked up the phone.

"You have to come back to the shrine. Now," Yuuichirou responded in the same tone, which was uncharacteristically grave given his personality. A shiver went down Rei neck and a foreboding sensation came over her once she registered the young apprenctice's words and his tone.

"What happened?," Rei asked intently, a touch of panic now bleeding into her words, "Where's Grandpa?"

"I was checking up on Sensei once I finished cleaning up and closing the shrine since we were going to have dinner together," Yuuichirou replied calmly, "When I went to wake him up, I noticed he wasn't breathing."

Rei could feel the blood draining from her face.

"I called the paramedics and did CPR on him until they arrived," Yuuichirou continued softly, his voice beginning to crack slightly, "B-But they said he…h-he had already passed before-"

 ** _Clack clack!_**

The phone slipped out of Rei's hand and fell onto the dark, bamboo flooring of her condo. The sound broke her from her frozen, stunned state and caused her to spring into action. She quickly got to her feet, stuffed the phone into her pocket, grabbed her keys, and raced out the door.

* * *

 **Author Note:** It's getting quite a bit darker now as the plot thickens…

Thank you so much to those who have reviewed these last couple chapters. Though it's hard for me to find time to write, I do read all of them and reply if I'm able to. They really motivate me!

I noticed there's a lot of animosity towards Rei's father, and rightfully so! As I told one reviewer before, I'm ecstatic as a writer if you feel really strongly (good or bad) about the characters that I've developed. They've been living in my imagination now for 4 years and counting so I've grown pretty attached to them. It's nice to see that I'm not the only one who's come to believe in them as people and that my writing has been able to elicit genuine emotions from readers. It really is one of the highest complements as a writer so thank you again for those reviews and letting me know how you feel!

But I also like the idea that nothing is as it seems so stay tuned for more as the story moves along ;)

Constructive feedback/reviews would be greatly appreciated.

(updated 11/2017)


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